COLUMBUS, Ohio—Financially strapped states that have announced a freeze on all but essential hiring have made thousands of exceptions.
Even in tough times, states generally continue to hire prison guards, nurses and other critical employees. But an Associated Press review of hiring records shows that some states are still hiring zookeepers, dog wardens, golf-course groundskeepers and the like.
For example Connecticut hired part-time boxing inspectors and New York hired temporary state fair workers.
In Colorado, the state has hired dozens of seasonal workers to serve as park rangers and snowplow drivers.
Between October and April, the state hired about 2,400 workers but lost about 1,900. That’s a total net gain of 511.
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On the Net:
National Conference of State Legislature’s state budget update:
