PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Rhode Island now has the most state employees it has had in a decade.
The Providence Journal reports that data from the House fiscal office shows there were 14,058 employees on the state payroll at the end of October.
State lawmakers have authorized 15,209 full-time positions for the current budget year, an increase of 49 positions from the previous year.
It is unclear how many of the 365 longtime state workers who took a $40,000 buyout earlier this year were replaced.
The last time Rhode Island had as many state employees was 2009, before then-Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri cut state spending midyear.
Department of Administration spokeswoman Amanda Clarke says much of the recent hiring was at the departments of Children, Youth and Families, Behavioral Health and Motor Vehicles.
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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com
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