The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued furlough policy guidance for federal workers in advance of possible severe funding reductions that would be caused by sequestration.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) officials have said that furloughs could be implemented if sequestration goes into effect. Testifying before Congress in September, DoD Comptroller Bob Hale said sequestration could make it necessary for DoD to “impose a hiring freeze, consider unpaid furloughs, and take other actions.”
The new guidance describes “administrative furloughs” that are “designed to absorb reductions necessitated by downsizing, reduced funding, lack of work, or any other budget situation other than a lapse in appropriations.” This type of furlough could be applied if employee furloughs are necessary because an agreement is not reached to avert automatic across-the-board cuts set to go into effect on January 2, 2013. OPM considers this guidance a precautionary measure.
Under the OPM guidance, which is described in a series of questions and answers, agencies are required to identify those employees who are affected by administrative furloughs and set up a process for notifying them.
If during furlough periods a furloughed employee’s salary is not sufficient to pay health insurance (FEHB) premiums, health insurance will remain in force. The furloughed employee’s share “will accumulate and be withheld from pay upon the employee’s pay becoming sufficient to cover premiums.
The guidance covers numerous other pay and employment-related situations and issues for employees on administrative furlough including: payment of unemployment compensation; leave and time off; injuries while on furlough; and federal employees serving military duty.
Thank you, President Obama, for your Executive Order giving federal workers December 24th as a day off. Other than that…I give, I give, and I give. I work hard. I do a good job. I work at a command where good performance is not rewarded other than regular step increases. And, the federal civilian workforce has not received a payraise for 3 years while the costs of benefits go up, my rent goes up, and the cost of living goes up. This impacts the amount of money I can save and my retirement pay. I am eligible to retire in 2 years and have to re-think my retirement plans. Over 30 years in DoD…
You are welcome. American Taxpayers gave you the paid day off, not the President.
dedra – Kelly and I ARE taxpayers – so by YOUR definition, we gave OURSELVES the day off. Wake up America, in CA NON-citizens can collect UNEMPLOYMENT and as a 25 year federal employee, I can NOT, but I pay into it I pay for NON-citizens to collect it, no wonder we are in the sad state we are in, OBTW – keep the huge .5% salary increase, you give me that and send me home one day a week with no pay, gee, thanks! I will send my unpaid bills to the White House.