Mandatory unpaid leave for education employees

The South Carolina Education Department is requiring every agency employee to take five days of unpaid leave.
   
State schools Superintendent Jim Rex sent an e-mail to employees Wednesday explaining the mandatory furloughs.
   
All agency employees must take the unpaid days off before the fiscal year ends June 30. It does not affect teachers or other school district workers.
   
Agency spokesman Jim Foster said the move should save more than a dozen jobs. The decision follows a $9.1 million budget cut to the agency due to the economic downturn.
   
The furlough will affect employees’ checks from January through May. The second paycheck of each month will be reduced by a day’s pay.
   
The agency employs about 900 people.