Hutchinson ? About 300 employees have accepted a buyout offer from the state’s Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

SRS Secretary Robert Siedlecki says the state has extended the voluntary retirement package until Oct. 14.

About 4,000 state employees are eligible for the buyout, including 1,200 who work for the SRS.

The Hutchinson News reports that Siedlecki says the SRS employees who are leaving are a mix of supervisory and rank-and-file workers.

He said his goal is to have about 25 percent of the eligible employees take the buyout.

Siedlecki also said some of the positions being vacated will be filled, with top priority given to the five state hospitals.