Pentagon furloughs could start mid-April?

[Sensei]

My wife's got friends that work "below the line" in Hollywood (think 6 figure salary for doing hair and make-up ). Their daughter's school district has been doing furlough days sporadically for the last couple years. They're always posting happily on FB about the fun stuff they do on furlough days. Yay!

Makes me sick.

 

[coolhand]

I believe a form of sequestration will occur. There will be a middle ground on law and that will mean some agencies will take a cut. But Navy pointed the finger at contractors first, civilians second, I can't tell you the havoc it is causing in the "emergencies" being declared to frontload money into projects.

Yep. I'm in that boat. I'm thinking we're in for some pain.

 

[Frixxxx]

Navy just shutdown all videos, guess the cost savings have started.

 

[Sensei]

AKA - Furlough Thread for Venting & Wild Rumors

I believe this is the thread for wild rumors that Fab1 referred to in James' other thread. I appreciate the facts, but also need a place to vent.

I can't believe how many teachers I work with who are expressing mild pleasure over the possibility of 22 furlough days and a 20% cut in salary. Some are teacher spouses with kids already grown and they have so much money between their double salaries and living quarters allowance that they wouldn't miss 20%. Me, I'm the sole earner in our family, and have two kids with college 10-15 years on the horizon. One lady suggested it would be great to have the extra time off so she could pick up a part-time job. Where's the logic in that? Why do I want an extra day off a week and 20% less salary so that I can work some lousy job with hourly pay and no benefits? Give me the damn job I signed a contract for! One is all I need, I just need it 100% of the time.

Anyway, frustration doth boil over in my mind. Hopefully it's all for nothing. But, please, rumors on.

 

[Fran1775]

Sensei I am completely in agreeance with you!

I don't believe that our little 1 day off Is going to save the government from going down the toilet. They need to get off of their butts and get a deal made and quit kicking the can down the road.
This isn't doing anything for your kids or mine that are your kids age. We are both in the same boat And I think our kids will end up paying for the dead instead of going to college. It is not my intention but I can see it happening.

 

[wavecoder]

damn, i guess i'm gonna have to go back to being a chippendale dancer on fridays

 

[Weather]

My agency (within DoD) is as quiet as a church mouse. They usually communicate these issues to the workforce to quell rumors. If they decide to to furlough a day - give me Friday or Monday.

Keep the info flowing folks - it's helps to hear how the rest of the agemncies are dealing with the sequester.

 

[Boghie]

Apparently, DoD employees will get their notification this coming week...

I have read multiple articles and blog posts about how the Sequester has not affected the military. I would tend to agree. Me thinks their is significant bloat in the Agency. And, that comment does not limit the thought that there is significant bloat elsewhere, eh. To date, the DoD has been the ONLY agency undergoing 'budget' cuts. Actual cuts in spending. But, we should.

However, folks out there do not understand that the employees have yet to be affected.

POLITICAL: Did The Pentagon Exaggerate The Effects of Sequestration? Why should they be different from the rest of the government.

My take: Since we’ve seen that the government can take a 2.3 percent cut without anybody noticing, why not go for a 5% across-the-board cut next year?

Now, that is true as far as it goes. But, the salary cuts have yet to take place. We can think of the reduction from 22 days to 11 days of furlough in one of two (at least) ways. Maybe the DoD is still attempting to play the 'Cut To The Bone' game. They may have thought that nobody would actually cut their budget more than it has been cut. Basically Politics. Or, it could be the normal incompetence of Senators and National Politicians actually running an agency as an executive. 'The Money Will Come from Somewhere!!!'. It always does when you can run deficits for a half century. So, our Senator - slash - Secretary of Defense might be trying to outwait the Sequester. However, there probably is not a money tree and our cash flow is blown. So, now we little peons have to take a 20% pay cut when we would have had to deal with a 5% cash flow issue. Dumb and dumber...

 

[Frixxxx]

.....

Now, that is true as far as it goes. But, the salary cuts have yet to take place. We can think of the reduction from 22 days to 11 days of furlough in one of two (at least) ways. Maybe the DoD is still attempting to play the 'Cut To The Bone' game. They may have thought that nobody would actually cut their budget more than it has been cut. Basically Politics. Or, it could be the normal incompetence of Senators and National Politicians actually running an agency as an executive. 'The Money Will Come from Somewhere!!!'. It always does when you can run deficits for a half century. So, our Senator - slash - Secretary of Defense might be trying to out wait the Sequester. However, there probably is not a money tree and our cash flow is blown. So, now we little peons have to take a 20% pay cut when we would have had to deal with a 5% cash flow issue. Dumb and dumber...

Let's face it, when they chip away at the employee, everyone is bearing the load (fair). When you go after specific programs, you are targeting districts (unfair). So, keep cutting the pay, you'll get early retirements and a % of disenfranchised quitters. Then they will be forced to go after the programs, but not during "their" office term.

Frixxxx

 

[nasa1974]

Defense Begins Delivering Furlough Notices
Hundreds of thousands of civilians are expecting 11 furlough days beginning on July 8. May28 22 Comments


Who Is Subject to Defense Furloughs? A look at the web of exceptions to mandatory unpaid leave.
May 28 4 Comments


Storify: Defense Civilians Take Furlough Notices to Twitter On social network, employees expressed dismay at the news.
May 28 6 Comments

 

[RealMoneyIssues]

The Civilian I work for got her letter just now. Nothing surprising, but at least it is official.

 

[ILoveTDs]

Just got my letter

 

[WorkFE]

Same

 

[PLANO]

Sorry guys.

 

[Boghie]

Got my letter.

I'm a bit lucky. The DoD furlough starts for me on the July 19 pay date. My car payment ends in August. I will be able to pre-pay the final two payments and free up $200 per pay period. Because of our wonderful progressive tax system I will get to cut my Federal and State taxes by more than half. I will get decent savings from slicing the boat anchors of Social Security, Medicare, and the FERS pension as well. Taken together, my outbound cash flow will be reduced $460. That leaves me about $160 short.

Now, the above assumes I make up the difference in my 401(k) (that is, TSP) for the reduction in contribution and match. If I allow that to fall with the ratios and remove my Schwab allocation than I am even. That will hurt, but I really don't like to invest new money in toppy markets anyway. The bummer will be if we have a nice and investable correction - oh well...

I will not have to dump my lavish lifestyle.