In a letter to Gov. Linda Lingle, Hawaii’s Congressional delegation today urged her to reconsider her plan to furlough state workers.

“While we understand the gravity of the state’s economic situation, your plan to furlough all state employees for three days per month for two years, which will reduce social services just when many Hawaii residents will need them the most, is troubling,” said the letter, which was signed by U.S. Sens. Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka and U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono.
The legislators said they were especially concerned about the possibility of furloughs for the 36 employees and 16 medical consultants under contract to the Disability Determination Branch of the state’s Department of Human Services.
The letter noted that the jobs of a number of state employees — such as those at the DDB — are funded entirely by the federal government. Funds left unused due to furloughs cannot be used for any other purpose and would be directed by the federal government to another state or territory, the letter said.
“We are informed that the three-day furlough of DDB employees will result in: a loss to Hawaii of (Social Security Administration) funding totaling $79,500 per month ($1.9 million over two years); delays of $46,200 in benefit payments to new claimants per month; and delays in processing of 123 new disability cases per month (2,952 over two years),” the letter said.
"We are also informed that in the current fiscal year the number of pending (Social Security Disability Insurance) and (Supplemental Security Income) claims submitted by Hawaii residents is 15.8 percent higher so far this year compared to the total number of pending claims in the whole of the preceding fiscal year.
"Any delay in processing valid SSDI claims will not only adversely affect the individuals concerned but also the State of Hawaii's budget because Medicaid and other state-funded programs must fill the gaps in coverage that SSDI and SSI would otherwise have filled."