SPRINGFIELD - The employees Gov. Rod Blagojevich targeted for layoffs Thursday included 306 people at the state agency that investigates child abuse and 73 jobs at the agency that handles food stamps and addiction programs.

Most of the 379 job cuts at the Department of Children and Family Services and Department of Human Services take effect Nov. 30.

The union that represents most of the affected workers said people who need help from the state will notice the cuts.

"The governor's actions will put abused and neglected children at greater risk and reduce access to Medicaid and food stamps," said Henry Bayer, director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union Council 31.

Department of Human Services spokesman Tom Green said the agency has 14,000 employees and the cuts affect several divisions. For those reasons, he said, people shouldn't see an interruption in services.

"The positions that are affected are spread out among a number of offices throughout the state," Green said.

The union argues the opposite is true, saying fewer people handling more work will mean delays in casework for people who need help from the state.

At the Department of Children and Family Services, spokesman Kendall Marlowe said the agency actually will see a net loss of only 179 jobs.

Some of the 306 targeted for layoffs will be offered jobs elsewhere, though some could have to move if they wanted to remain employed with the agency.

Marlowe said the agency tried not to lay off employees who handle child abuse cases directly.

"We have worked hard to focus these reductions on non-case-carrying staff," he said.