Louisiana health officials are furloughing more than 700 staff members who work in the federal program that administers food stamps, as funding is set to expire on November 1.
The Louisiana Department of Health released a memo on Friday, announcing the furlough of 786 Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (SNAP) employees effective on Monday, due to the federal government shutdown.
Employees will be furloughed without pay for up to 240 hours between Nov. 3 and Dec. 2, according to a letter health secretary Bruce Greenstein sent to LDH staff earlier in the week.
The furlough will continue until the government shutdown in Washington, D.C. ends.
“Should funding become available, employees may be recalled back to work sooner” than Dec. 2, the letter said.
“Likewise, should the Federal Government (sic) shutdown continue, this furlough may be extended with approval from the State Civil Service,” it said.
Friday's memo said 298 SNAP employees at LDH are considered essential staff and will not be furloughed to ensure there isn't a disruption of service with the state's temporary assistance program to get relief funds to some SNAP recipients.
In Greenstein's letter to LDH staff, he blamed the furloughs on the “Schumer shutdown.”
LDH confirmed that the letter was sent by the department. A department spokesperson told WWNO via email that the notice “is required by all civil service to be sent to employees when there’s a potential furlough.”
“This measure is necessary because our department’s funding has been affected by the ongoing Federal Government (sic) shutdown,” the letter states. “We hope that by adopting this measure we will avert the need for layoffs.”
Millions of Americans are set to lose food aid benefits this week as a result of the shutdown and a decision by the Trump administration not to use emergency funds to keep the program going.
Louisiana lawmakers are providing $150 million to keep SNAP benefits available. Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency over the funding last week. SNAP benefits help feed an estimated 792,769 people in Louisiana, including over 350,000 children and over 120,000 people with disabilities.
