Birmingham, AL – The Jefferson County Commission has shot down a proposal to bring all laid-off county workers back to their jobs next week.
The commission voted against the plan Tuesday, but did agree to return about 40 employees in the revenue and tax collector offices on Sept. 26.
Commission President Bettye Fine Collins estimates the county still has about 700 of its 3,600 workers on unpaid leave.
The debate came after several days of warnings from county finance officials and lawyers that bringing back employees so soon would put the county's cash fund $2.9 million in the red by Oct. 2.
Commissioner William Bell, who last week voted with others to support ending the unpaid leave, changed his mind and provided the swing vote not to return the workers.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)