Dallas employees to take mandatory furlough days amid financial shortfall

City of Dallas employees will be required to take mandatory furlough days as the city tries to balance its budget.The mandatory furlough days affect employees paid by the city's General Fund. Employees will be required to take the furlough days on July 10, Sept. 4 and Sept. 28.Employees will not be able to take vacation, sick leave, or comp time on those dates.Two floating furlough days will also be required by General Fund employees and Internal Service Fund employees at or above the Assistant Director level before Sept. 16.Several groups of Dallas employees are exempt from the furlough days, such as firefighters, police officers, sanitation workers and 911 employees.Dallas officials said in a statement that, despite previous measures, the city's General Fund expenses continue to outpace revenue, which prompted the furlough days."Furloughs are not our preferred solution; however, they enable us to reduce expenses, protect jobs and employee health benefits, and continue delivering serv