Officials are considering a plan to shut down state government one day every two weeks, furloughing tens of thousands of employees in a cost-saving move to help bridge about $680 million budget shortfall.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Clyde Graeber told employees in a memo Monday that Gov. Bill Graves’ Department of Administration was “beginning” to map out necessary steps to put in place a statewide furlough program.

“Currently, the concept is possibly to close down the state one Friday in every two-week period. The state would close down all except those essential services such as staff at our prisons, highway patrol, etc.,” Graeber said. A copy of the memo was obtained by the Lawrence Journal-World.

Ben Baumon, a spokesman for the Department of Administration, said the agency has not gotten into a specific discussion on furloughs. Baumon said he could not comment on Graeber’s memo.

Graeber noted that the possibility of unpaid furloughs was great enough that lawmakers had introduced legislation that would continue calculation of state employees’ retirement benefits at their current salary instead of a salary reduced by furloughs.

The House budget-writing committee will have a hearing on the measure, House Bill 3014, on Thursday.

There are approximately 37,000 state employees; roughly two-thirds are classified employees and one-third are unclassified.

Graeber said that furloughs were being discussed because the Legislature has failed to agree how to plug the shortfall. He said he doubted taxes would be increased enough to wipe out the entire shortfall.

He also said that KDHE may also face “a reduction in force.”

The state’s welfare agency has already cut some programs and staff because of the worsening revenue situation. Last week, Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Kay McFarland signed an order establishing emergency surcharges in court costs to keep the state’s judicial branch operating in the next fiscal year.

Kansas University has previously proposed layoffs and program cuts, but at this point hasn’t discussed furloughs, Lynn Bretz, director of University Relations, said.

Andy Sanchez, executive director of the Kansas Association of Public Employees, said he has heard mixed signals on possible furloughs.

“Quite honestly, some legislators are telling me not to put a lot of stock in that, but others say it’s a legitimate concern. So, I’m kind of trying to feel my way around it,” Sanchez said.

Members of a special Senate committee working on ways to solve the budget problems have also discussed furloughs of state employees, but the panel has not made any recommendations yet.