The five are in addition to 10 furlough days already assessed, for a total of three weeks of pay that the publisher has withheld from employees this year.

Employees must take one day by the end of September (the end of third quarter), and four during fourth quarter, the report says.

The publisher blames “last-minute advertiser cancellations and deferrals of planned spending” by other advertisers.

In addition to instituting layoffs, pay cuts and wage freezes, McClatchy Co., Gannett and other newspaper publishers have furloughed employees this year to save money.

Other McClatchy newspapers, including The News & Observer in Raleigh, instituted furloughs earlier this year and have offered buyouts in the last year.

“We are doing this because many employees continue to express interest in a voluntary program during this time of industry transition, and because we want to put The Star in the best financial position possible going into 2010,” Star Publisher Mark Zieman said in a memo to staff. There is no targeted number for the buyouts.

The Business Journal also quotes McClatchy Treasurer Elaine Lintecum confirming that the company-wide salary freeze has been extended through the end of the year.