1,800 State Government Positions Cut In Budget; Whitmer Says 'No Layoffs'

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 10/03/2025) Under the passed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget, state jobs will be reduced by 1,800 full-time employees (FTEs), with most of the reductions coming from the Department of Corrections, Department of Health and Human Services, and State Police.

The House Fiscal Agency paperwork indicated specifically that 465 of the 1,800 jobs being eliminated were vacant, but MIRS was able to confirm that a deal was reached that there would be no layoffs through the FTE removals.

“Yes, state government will be a little bit smaller. Yes, we’ll be more efficient, but no state employees are going to get laid off. We’re going to be able to deliver the most crucial services for Michiganders,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said on Off The Record this morning.

The majority of the confirmed vacancies, with 374 and four one-time appropriation FTEs, were for positions in MDOC. Michigan Corrections Organization Executive Director Ray Sholtz said the corrections officers were still short-staffed.

“These cuts aren’t going to affect our officers,” Sholtz said.

Under the budget, 374 vacant DOC positions are eliminated, and another 76 state positions from the Detroit Detention Center after the contract with the city was terminated in July, which Sholtz said would be integrated into other facilities.

DHHS had the most positions being cut, though the House Fiscal Agency only identified eight as vacant positions.

There are 388 unfunded jobs removed from state psychiatric hospitals in the state.

There are two jobs at the nutrition education program that would be eliminated, along with $33 million for the program that saw federal funding cut.

There are 212 positions cut across the various offices: Administrative support workers would see 40 jobs go, donated funds positions would see 52 jobs go, local office police and administration would see six jobs go, and public assistance local office staff would see a reduction of 114 jobs.

Family impact teams would be reduced by 12 jobs after the elimination of the $11.3 million Pathways to Potential program.

There would be 270 jobs cut from the Children’s Services Agency.

There would be seven jobs cut from the child support enforcement operations.

There would be 53 jobs added to the juvenile justice operations program. That includes the additional 111 jobs for the new Michigan Youth Treatment Center and the closure of the Shawono male juvenile justice facility, which closed earlier this year and would see those 58 jobs eliminated.

The budget also adds 30 jobs to the prior authorization processing to prepare for the implementation of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulations that would require all prior authorizations be done in seven calendar days.

The Michigan State Police are set to lose 280 jobs, with 243 coming from the various post operations.

There would be 30 jobs removed from the Professional Development Bureau and 30 jobs removed from Secure Cities.

MSP would get 23 jobs added for training purposes.

The Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs would lose 84 total positions.

There would be 88 jobs removed from the three veteran’s homes in the state, with the majority coming from Grand Rapids.

The National Guard member benefits would get four positions added.

The Michigan Department of Treasury is set to lose 50 vacant positions.

The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is losing 38 positions. Job creation services would have 34 positions removed. Insurance funds would see two positions removed, and the Michigan Rehabilitation Services are set to have two jobs removed.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is losing 30 positions. Nature Awaits, the fourth-grade field trip to nature program would see 14 positions removed, but also those 14 put back in a one-time expenditure.

The DNR Wildlife Division would see 20 positions removed, and fisheries would see 19 positions removed. Minerals management would have two jobs removed.

The DNR would also be getting nearly eight FTEs for the various shooting ranges and more than three positions for park supervisors.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is losing a net of 20 positions, but 27 jobs are being taken off the books from the design and engineering team. One MDOT administrative position and six passenger transportation positions are being added.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is losing four positions: Two from pesticide and plant pest management and two from the USDA monitoring program.

The Department of Education is losing six total positions, with 16 being taken from the nutrition services, 10 from vacant positions, and three from one-time appropriation FTE positions.

Education is adding 20 positions to the Office of Health and Safety, two to the science of reading literacy, and one to the CTE Pathways to Success program.

The Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes, and Environment is losing 15 jobs: One from material management, two from water quality programs, three from water resource programs, three from air quality programs, three from municipal assistance, and four from contaminated site remediation and redevelopment.

The Department of Technology Management and Budget would be losing 11 jobs.  There would be 22 vacant positions eliminated and 11 jobs in the State Budget Office that would be added.

The Department of State would lose 28 vacant positions and five unclassified positions.

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs would lose eight jobs. There would be 10 unclassified jobs removed, four administrative hearings and rules positions, two from the Bureau of Survey and Certification, two from the Bureau of Community and Health, two from the liquor control, one from the Michigan Public Service Commission, one from the administrative side, and one from a one-time funding situation.

There would be eight elevator inspectors added and two mortuary science staff added.

The Department of Insurance and Financial Services would have eight jobs eliminated, with seven from the financial institutions evaluation and one from consumer services and protection.

The Department of Civil Rights will see one vacant spot removed.

The Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary offices are seeing no jobs lost or gained. The Auditor General would also be neutral on job positions.

The Department of Attorney General is getting nearly 58 positions added to the rolls and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential gets five positions added.

A supplemental would also add eight jobs to the Wage and Hour program.

MIRS confirmed that no layoffs would happen with the elimination of these 1,800 jobs.