YOUNGSTOWN — The board of control approved furlough agreements with 67 full-time city workers and 22 part-timers that are designed to save Youngstown money during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The furloughs already began, but the board on Thursday voted to approve them.

“This effectively memorializes them,” said Kyle Miasek, interim finance director and the board’s secretary.

The city saves $4,000 per full-time employee on average per month per furlough and about $1,500 a month for part-timers, Miasek said.

On April 27, 57 full-timers and 22 part-time workers started the furlough. On May 11, another 10 workers — all from the judicial branch — began their furloughs.

All of the furloughs were voluntary except for 15 full-time workers, who were nonunion employees chosen by management because they wouldn’t be negatively impacted, Miasek said.

Each furloughed employee will be off work until at least June 30 with a review done to determine if that time will be extended to July 31 — the latest date they can be brought back under the city’s agreements with them.

Those on furlough are able to keep their medical coverage while paying their 10 percent premiums.

They are also eligible for state unemployment and an additional $600 weekly unemployment bonus from the federal government through the CARES Act that runs until July 31.

In some cases, those on furlough will make more money not working than if they were on the job, Miasek said.

Those on furlough won’t accrue sick and vacation time, and the city isn’t paying in to their pensions while they’re not working. Also, those on furlough are losing a year of longevity pay because of the break in service.

The city wanted 7 to 10 percent of the full-time work force of about 715 to be furloughed. The 67 full-timers equal 9.4 percent.

The furloughs save the city about $300,000 a month.

But Miasek said the city will lose at least 15 percent of its income tax collections this year, which is about $6,525,000.

The city is also losing a portion of its casino and gas taxes, he said.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com