Furloughs Called Off At Corporation Commission

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (AP)-- A plan to close the Oklahoma Corporation Commission one day a month and place employees on unpaid leave has been canceled.

Members of the three-member commission canceled the furlough plan on Monday. They say it became unnecessary after some internal cost cutting and approval by legislative and administration officials for the agency to broaden its use of existing revenue.

The commission's director of administration, Brooks Mitchell, had scheduled furloughs due to a funding shortfall. The agency was set to close and furlough employees for one day a month from August through next January.

But the agency reduced personnel through voluntary buyouts and a reduction-in-force. It will also broaden its use of existing earmarked funds to pay for operational expenses.