Most Arizona State Offices Closed Friday as Furlough

PHOENIX (AP) — Friday is a furlough day for Arizona state government, meaning that most state offices are closed.

The state approved a furlough program in order to cut pay of more than 29,000 state employees to save $20 million to help balance the state budget. There are six furlough days approved for each of the current fiscal year and the next one.

Exceptions to the mandatory closures include institutions such as prisons, the state mental hospital and juvenile corrections facilities. Also, state police and other key public safety personnel such as child-abuse hotline workers remain on the job.