Judge: California Owes Back Pay For Excessive Furloughs

OAKLAND, Calif. (CBS13/AP) -- A judge has ruled that California owes state engineers and scientists back wages, saying the state was excessive in its use of furloughs last year.

An Alameda County Superior Court judge's ruling could result in some 13,000 workers getting more than $10 million in back pay.

The time period covered under the ruling covers furloughs ordered under the administrations of both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown.

Lawyers for the Professional Engineers in California Government and California Association of Professional Scientists argued that their members were illegally furloughed for two days in March 2011.