According to the reports, New York lawmakers on Monday authorized the governor to idle about half the state workforce, about 100,000 people, for one day, setting up a court fight.

The New York Times has reported that passage of the emergency budget bill quickly led leaders of the state's public employee unions to vow they would go to U. S. District Court in Albany to block Gov. David Paterson's plan.

Kenneth Brynien, president of the Public Employees Federation, one of the unions representing state workers, said, "This action on the part of the governor is clearly illegal. We have a contract that says that we work all year and make a certain amount of money."

The Times further said that rather than shut down state government, Paterson's plan calls for each affected employee to take one day off next week, saving the state about $30 million. Paterson said he would invoke additional furloughs weekly until the Legislature reaches a deal with him on a new budget, now six weeks past due.

Paterson moved forward with his furlough plan after the unions balked at other concessions, including forgoing a 4 percent raise or delaying paychecks by several days.

Most public safety and health workers are not included in the furloughs.

Paterson said in a statement, "I recognize that these furloughs represent a difficult sacrifice for many of the state's public employees. That sacrifice is only necessary because their union leadership has rejected all other reasonable attempts at compromise." (With Inputs from Agencies)