Dear State Employee, With the vote Thursday by the U.S.

House of Representatives, I am optimistic that the bud et compromise revealed this !ee" !ill pass s!iftly throu h #on ress and avert a $anuary shutdo!n. I do not !ant to see a repeat of the %ctober shutdo!n. Re rettably, because of the timin of the bud et deal&s release and to comply !ith the state employee contract, !e !ill have to be in sendin out layoff notices on 'onday to some state employees !hose positions are federally funded. This is appro(imately )* days prior to the potential loss of fundin and !ill ensure there is enou h time to notify each affected employee as re+uired by the contract. It is my sincere hope that by 'onday !e !ill have a bud et resolution that has passed both houses of #on ress so that !e can avoid havin to send out these notices. I !ant to stress that even if the layoff notices are sent out on 'onday, my office is hopeful that there !ill not be a shutdo!n in $anuary and that the bud et deal !ill be adopted shortly by #on ress. The 'SE, contract does not allo! for late notice of layoff even in circumstances li"e these, !here there is a stron possibility that the notice !ill ultimately not be needed. Sadly, by the time !e "no! for sure !hat #on ress has done, the contractual notice deadline !ill have passed. I understand this is a very difficult time of year to thin" about layoffs, and I re ret havin to ta"e these steps. %ur thou hts are !ith you and your families !ho may be adversely affected by another federal shutdo!n, and I sincerely hope Senators in Washin ton D.#. !ill do !hat needs to be done to avoid another shutdo!n. Sincerely, -aul R. .e-a e /overnor