Beaufort County social services' employees must choose five days off in 2003 and the other five days will be assigned during 2004 by the director of the Beaufort County department, Fred Washington.
Despite the forced furloughs, Washington said his department's offices will never be closed completely because of a lack of staff.
"Limited staff will be available on specific days," he said.
The furloughs are part of a statewide effort to address a $10 million reduction to the department that became effective July 1, said the department's Deputy State Director for Administration Wendell Price.
All state employees of the Department of Social Services are subject to the furlough, Washington said.
Some department workers said the furlough is a huge setback.
"There are some of us who just can't afford the pay cut," said Renita Myers, a human service specialist at the Beaufort County office. "It's not like we make a lot of money."
Salaries at the Beaufort office range from $16,000 to $50,000 a year. Only two high-level staff members make $50,000, Washington said.
Myers is a single parent raising her 9-year-old daughter. She has been with the county's Depart-ment of Social Services for three years and earns $26,000.
"This (furlough) sets me back, right now I'm living from paycheck to paycheck trying to get my bills paid," she said.
Property taxes, a mortgage and expenses for her daughter all chip away at Myers' salary, which has remained unchanged since she started working at the department.
"My income is a little bit above those who come here for services," Myers said.
The bright spots are few and far between, said Raquel Lee, who works with Child Protective Services in the department.
"The only good thing is we're still employed," she said. "How can we help people when we need help ourselves?"
The furlough was announced nearly two weeks ago, not long after the local department laid off four employees and eliminated six unfilled positions, including a clerical worker, three human service specialists, an adult protective services worker and a foster care worker.
The state office in Columbia is expected to layoff 104 workers, including its entire public affairs staff, on Oct. 1.
In the last three years the state agency's budget has been cut by $35 million and has cut 1,300 employees. Its workforce will shrink below 3,900 employees after the coming round of layoffs. The Beaufort County office has 56 employees.
The staff isn't to the breaking point yet, Washington said, but the local agency can't withstand many more cuts or adjustments.
"We're getting to the point now where we're starting to jeopardize our mission," he said Wednesday.