Furlough Thread

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Got some more "scootch" information today. At my agency, letters will be sent to employees beginning March 7th. Actual furloughs will begin on or after April 7th (30 day notice requirement). We are being told we're to take 11 furlough days between April at the end of the fiscal year in Sept. One day per pay period. There are no exceptions for "emergecy employees" or by grade- everyone gets hit. The only question will be the actual days off.

Here is a "Question and Answer" document published:
http://aircraftcert.org/MOA/RMQASaveMoneyFurlough.pdf


Can you read this document? Or is it behind a firewall?
 
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This just came through from the Chief's office today:

All Forest Service employees received a message from the Secretary of Agriculture on the spending cuts known as “sequestration”, and I know there are concerns about the prospects for potential furloughs. While we at the Forest Service will receive the same cuts as other agencies across government, because of the way we manage our budget we have flexibility and should be able to avoid furlough if sequestration occurs. We will use a combination of efforts including cutting back on contracts and purchasing, delaying filling vacancies, and reducing our seasonal employment in order to manage the budget reduction. As the Secretary said in his note, “In planning how to implement a possible sequestration, our guiding principle is to protect our ability to perform our mission on behalf of the American people. As public servants, this is our first and foremost responsibility.” It is our plan to do that to the best of our ability without resorting to furloughing employees.

Thank you for all you do and be safe out there.

Chief
 
They just told us the days off will be staggered throughout the week so we have some coverage. We can't all be off Mondays or Fridays. We have to be able to support our missions.
 
DOE employees got the same canned letter that CrabClaw posted.

FWIW to mods and Tom, I posted this before about the time of the server upgrade. It showed up in the thread and when I came back later it wasn't there. I didn't feel it worth posting under report problems area.

PO
 
The latest iteration. I'd be curious to see if this is another gov't-wide form letter. Sorry for the length, they're getting wordy, and header and footer deleted to protect the "______".

[FONT=&quot]Subject: Update on Preparations for Potential Sequestration [/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]I want to provide you an update on the work that is underway in order to prepare for potential sequestration. We are less than three weeks away from the March 1, 2013 sequestration deadline. The President remains focused on working with Congress to reach agreement on a balanced deficit reduction plan that avoids these cuts. However, as March 1 approaches, we continue our efforts to prepare for potential sequestration. In the coming weeks, you will receive additional information on our sequestration planning efforts. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]As we formulate our sequestration plans, thoughts about the potential impacts to our employees are at the forefront. I am inspired every day by your passion and commitment to our mission. You are our most valuable asset and your ability to do your job and remain effective is critical to our mission. I recognize that the uncertainty in which we find ourselves makes this a stressful time and I remind you of the resources available to you and your family through the Employee Assistance Program. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]The plans that we are developing outline how a sequestration of approximately five percent would be implemented. Each bureau and office is assessing the potential to implement reductions in a manner that will ensure protection of life, health, and safety, as wells as ongoing operation of mission critical activities. In developing our plans, we are evaluating options to accommodate sequestration reductions by reducing non-essential activities and deferring spending on discretionary costs in order to preserve funding and mitigate possible impacts to employees, our lands and resources, and essential activities that address the critical needs of the American people. We are assessing our ability to defer activities related to training, travel, contracts, and purchases and we will utilize appropriate flexibility where possible. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]We may also have to consider placing employees on temporary furlough or take other personnel actions should sequestration occur. With respect to furloughs, should we have to pursue this unfortunate course of action, let me assure you that all affected employees would be provided at least 30 days notice prior to executing a furlough or in accordance with the designated representative collective bargaining agreement as appropriate.We will also continue to engage in discussions with employee unions as appropriate, to ensure that any furloughs are applied in an appropriate manner meeting agency mission requirements. If you have questions on this issue, I would encourage you to go to the Office of Personnel Management website, which has helpful information and answers to frequently asked questions regarding furloughs (found at [/FONT][FONT=&quot]www.opm.gov/furlough, under the “administrative furlough” section).[/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]As part of our planning efforts, we have started to share the specific impacts of sequestration at the Department with the Office of Management and Budget. The timing of the sequestration and abbreviated seven-month timeframe for implementation is particularly challenging for us. Should sequestration occur, reductions will need to be made during the season when many of our programs are conducting field work, employing seasonal employees, and hosting visitors. Specific impacts for the Department include: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]· [FONT=&quot]Reduced hours and services at our 398 national parks, 561 refuges, and over 258 public land units; [/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]· [FONT=&quot]Reduced numbers of seasonal employees employed for firefighting, law enforcement, and visitor services during our busiest season; [/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]· [FONT=&quot]Delays in development of oil, gas, and coal on our lands and waters; and[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]· [FONT=&quot]Large reductions in services to tribes including education services to Native American school children. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]This is not an all-inclusive list of the impacts and we continue to work with bureaus and offices to improve our understanding of potential sequestration effects. I encourage you to share information about the impacts on your ability to perform important mission activities with your manager so we have a full picture. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]In the coming weeks we will finalize our sequestration plans, issue guidance on implementation, and continue working with bureaus and offices to ensure communications and logistics are ready in the event we have to implement the sequester. You will receive additional information on our plans and your role in implementation as it becomes available. Although we are preparing for sequestration, we remain optimistic that an agreement will be reached that will avert the need to implement these plans.
Click to expand...
[/FONT]
 
Alls well and good..But since Congress only has worked 19 days since the 1st of the year, the rest of the time in recess..it's no wonder nothing gets done..but we lose our time on the job though not by choice, because of them..

I hope all of you that voted to keep these social leeches in office are happy with your vote now..
 
Don't Fear the Sequester

I think this nails it. Right or wrong, I don't think there will be the public outcry for solving the sequester by not sequestering. I am betting that game (The Washington Monument Game) is old.

Also, I think we are being gamed. The DoD is targeting civilian employees for a 20% cut when the cut should be around 8%. Also, note that the article identifies that the actual cuts will total $43 Billion across all sequestered entities. There are $43 Billion in actual cuts, the remaining $42 Billion is future spending not yet authorized this year. You know you are gamed when a cut is not a cut and these blokes use spending that isn't spending. Yowser...
 
Of course everyone knows that the cuts they are talking about are cuts to the projected increases of the budget, no real cuts around here.Baby_Smoking.jpg
 
Has anyone seen any reports regarding effect of furloughs on retirement pay for those planning to retire this year i.e. Effect on High Three Pay that retirement pay is based on? Seems that a 20% reduction in the last year or two before retirement would cut your check a good bit. For example, If high three avg. $ 100,000 per year (assuming the current pay freeze) x 60% CSRS check should be approximately $ 60 K. With furlough of 20% High Three Pay avg. would be approx. $ 93,333 x 60% or $ 56 K . Ouch!:sick:
 
My understanding is it would effect your high three, but remember it is your high three not last three, so this year probably wouldn't be used in your high three calculation.
 
+ since we have not had a pay raise in 3 years, even if they did not do the furlough this year is no higher than the last 2.
 
Got a message this week that NO TDY travel after March 27th is permitted. If you have your work scheduled for a TDY trip (I usually do about 10 days a month TDY) you can enter the data in GOVTRIP, but you cannot sign your authorization yet, and you will not be permitted to until Congress settles the budget deal. Until then, park the G-Car, cancel the airplane reservations, and sit tight. No government travel permitted after March 27th in my line of business.

Thanks Congress.
 
Jim Cramer noted this morning that the military is furloughing individuals instead of closing golf courses.
 
Frixxxx said:
link

High three question answered (shortly) from OPM.gov
Click to expand...

That sounds like a non-answer to me. I'm thinking ILoveTDs may have got it right ... if you are furloughed and the last 3 years have been frozen, then your high 3 may not be your last 3, or ... your last 12 months may be the lowest 12 of the high 3. ... So the question really should be, how is your high 3 computed -- is it based on your annual salary or actual regular pay received?
 
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