Furlough letter - Explicit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Still more contracts are facing funding delays meaning that contracting firms are working essentially for free until the government releases the funds.

I think you are misunderstanding what is happening. Either the contract entitles them to periodic progress payments or it does not (at which case they would be paid at the end). If they are entitled to periodic progress payments, they cannot be asked to work "essentially for fee until the government releases the money." If they were not entitled to periodic progress payments, the contractor always agreed to work without payment until the completion of the contract.

Nope, I'm not misunderstanding what's happening. We are waiting for release of funds for our current period of work - it's a renewed option year and we have invoiced for several periods and not received any money. So we are essentially working for free and fronting the government money with the hope that our money will come through. This has been going on since January. In the meantime, we are working at risk. The government is well aware of this, by the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Still more contracts are facing funding delays meaning that contracting firms are working essentially for free until the government releases the funds.

I think you are misunderstanding what is happening. Either the contract entitles them to periodic progress payments or it does not (at which case they would be paid at the end). If they are entitled to periodic progress payments, they cannot be asked to work "essentially for fee until the government releases the money." If they were not entitled to periodic progress payments, the contractor always agreed to work without payment until the completion of the contract.

Nope, I'm not misunderstanding what's happening. We are waiting for release of funds for our current period of work - it's a renewed option year and we have invoiced for several periods and not received any money. So we are essentially working for free and fronting the government money with the hope that our money will come through. This has been going on since January. In the meantime, we are working at risk. The government is well aware of this, by the way.

Every contract is different. Our is funded through march and if no money everyone is out of work.

[Anonymous]

You all stupid. contracts are funded through the fiscal year so no lay offs yet . Just excuses to cut dress weight.[.quote]

You are incorrect. Contracts are committed through the term of the contract, but funding is done dynamically throughout the fiscal year often by quarters. It's rare that a contract is funded for an entire year at a time. I've worked primarily on five year contracts that are committed through tasks. The exact amount of money for the task varies and not only year-to-year, but often quarter-to-quarter. I've worked on contracts where in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, depending on how much money the directorate or division has to commit, the amount allocated to the job order that the contract bills to changes. I've seen layoffs mid-year when the CO or the COTR on a contract decides that they need to save money and will decrease the amount allocated to the contract and tells the contractor that X task and Y task will receive less funding and which parts of the task do not need to be completed. Often this means that certain jobs will be downsized/laid off. Contractors have *NO* job security even when they are on a multi-year contact. Over my 20 years at this agency, I have seen many, many people who have been laid off in the middle of the contract and others signed on (and even in a couple of cases, the laid off person was rehired later) as the agency had money to commit to the contract.

Anonymous wrote:For those with jobs in the fed, I'd love to work there even with furlough. You don't go through layoffs every fucking quarter. You have a steady paycheck and benefits.

Signed,
Laid off worker

Just to differentiate, you are talking about civil servants. For those of us contracting to the federal government, we are subject to the whims of Congress and our agency. I was laid off for 6 months on my last contract because the division decided that they did not have the amount of funds to fund all staff for the remainder of the fiscal year. I was on a team of seven and had just switched from another task that had achieved end-of-life, but since I had the least seniority on the current task, I was let go. In 20 years, I've known many (talking hundreds) of contractors who have left the agency and then come back. And others who have left the agency and then struggled to get back to contracting at this agency (people like working at this agency).

[Anonymous]

Take 2 without the erroneous quote delimiter.

You all stupid. contracts are funded through the fiscal year so no lay offs yet . Just excuses to cut dress weight.

You are incorrect. Contracts are committed through the term of the contract, but funding is done dynamically throughout the fiscal year often by quarters. It's rare that a contract is funded for an entire year at a time. I've worked primarily on five year contracts that are committed through tasks. The exact amount of money for the task varies and not only year-to-year, but often quarter-to-quarter. I've worked on contracts where in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, depending on how much money the directorate or division has to commit, the amount allocated to the job order that the contract bills to changes. I've seen layoffs mid-year when the CO or the COTR on a contract decides that they need to save money and will decrease the amount allocated to the contract and tells the contractor that X task and Y task will receive less funding and which parts of the task do not need to be completed. Often this means that certain jobs will be downsized/laid off. Contractors have *NO* job security even when they are on a multi-year contact. Over my 20 years at this agency, I have seen many, many people who have been laid off in the middle of the contract and others signed on (and even in a couple of cases, the laid off person was rehired later) as the agency had money to commit to the contract.

Anonymous wrote:For those with jobs in the fed, I'd love to work there even with furlough. You don't go through layoffs every fucking quarter. You have a steady paycheck and benefits.

Signed,
Laid off worker

Just to differentiate, you are talking about civil servants. For those of us contracting to the federal government, we are subject to the whims of Congress and our agency. I was laid off for 6 months on my last contract because the division decided that they did not have the amount of funds to fund all staff for the remainder of the fiscal year. I was on a team of seven and had just switched from another task that had achieved end-of-life, but since I had the least seniority on the current task, I was let go. In 20 years, I've known many (talking hundreds) of contractors who have left the agency and then come back. And others who have left the agency and then struggled to get back to contracting at this agency (people like working at this agency).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take 2 without the erroneous quote delimiter.

You all stupid. contracts are funded through the fiscal year so no lay offs yet . Just excuses to cut dress weight.

You are incorrect. Contracts are committed through the term of the contract, but funding is done dynamically throughout the fiscal year often by quarters. It's rare that a contract is funded for an entire year at a time. I've worked primarily on five year contracts that are committed through tasks. The exact amount of money for the task varies and not only year-to-year, but often quarter-to-quarter. I've worked on contracts where in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, depending on how much money the directorate or division has to commit, the amount allocated to the job order that the contract bills to changes. I've seen layoffs mid-year when the CO or the COTR on a contract decides that they need to save money and will decrease the amount allocated to the contract and tells the contractor that X task and Y task will receive less funding and which parts of the task do not need to be completed. Often this means that certain jobs will be downsized/laid off. Contractors have *NO* job security even when they are on a multi-year contact. Over my 20 years at this agency, I have seen many, many people who have been laid off in the middle of the contract and others signed on (and even in a couple of cases, the laid off person was rehired later) as the agency had money to commit to the contract.

Anonymous wrote:For those with jobs in the fed, I'd love to work there even with furlough. You don't go through layoffs every fucking quarter. You have a steady paycheck and benefits.

Signed,
Laid off worker

Just to differentiate, you are talking about civil servants. For those of us contracting to the federal government, we are subject to the whims of Congress and our agency. I was laid off for 6 months on my last contract because the division decided that they did not have the amount of funds to fund all staff for the remainder of the fiscal year. I was on a team of seven and had just switched from another task that had achieved end-of-life, but since I had the least seniority on the current task, I was let go. In 20 years, I've known many (talking hundreds) of contractors who have left the agency and then come back. And others who have left the agency and then struggled to get back to contracting at this agency (people like working at this agency).

I'm sorry , as OP and a Fed who knows how much contractors make I don't give a rats ass about your layooff. I'm sure you all have had plenty of opportunities to come on board at our shitty pay scale but stayed your course. The outrageous billing of many of these companies is partly to blame for the money shortfall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'm sorry , as OP and a Fed who knows how much contractors make I don't give a rats ass about your layooff. I'm sure you all have had plenty of opportunities to come on board at our shitty pay scale but stayed your course. The outrageous billing of many of these companies is partly to blame for the money shortfall.

Wow, a Fed whose also a jacka$$. You're the reason so many non-feds hate civil servants. I make roughly 10-15% over what my civil servant counterparts make. Which nowhere NEAR makes up for all of the perks you civil servants get. I get combined 4 weeks of PTO, that's combined annual leave and sick leave. Most civil servants with my level of experience get six weeks of annual leave, plus one week of sick leave. In other words, you get three weeks paid leave more than I do PER YEAR. Your benefits package is much better. Your TSP is significantly better than my 401K. Your employer, the US government puts in a lot more money into your TSP than my employer does. Over the course of 10 years, not even your full career in the civil service, you will more than make up the difference in our pay inequity. You also have better long-term care, short-term disability, long-term disability benefits. You get much more excused absences than we do. When the government gives 2 hour or 4 hour early dismissal? Never includes contractors. You get the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve excusal from the President? Never includes contractors. You get the majority of snow days. Most of us have to report to our contractor headquarters and still work. Your benefits are worth at least twice what our difference in pay is.

I have a lot of sympathy for most civil servants, but not you. You'll probably get furloughed, because karma is a bitch. Just like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'm sorry , as OP and a Fed who knows how much contractors make I don't give a rats ass about your layooff. I'm sure you all have had plenty of opportunities to come on board at our shitty pay scale but stayed your course. The outrageous billing of many of these companies is partly to blame for the money shortfall.

Also, please remember that not all contractors are raking it in. I make under $60K as a contractor and I'm terrified that I'll be laid off. The last round of layoffs my company had? They let go all the little people, not the ones making 6 figures +. I've been told my position is safe for the next year, but still. I have NO emergency savings bc I live paycheck to paycheck. I'm a single parent and if I get laid off, my kid and I are screwed. I've been working to beef up my resume and get some certifications and training under my belt, but it's not easy and it takes time and money, neither of which I have a lot of.

I have had no opportunities to come on board for the gov't as I'm under 30 and getting hired by the feds at entry level has been damn near impossible the past few years.

Maybe you're right about the senior people at my company and on my contract, but they're not the ones that will lose out if layoffs come down. People like me (young, few very specialized skills, low on the totem pole) are a dime a dozen, I am easily replaceable. Don't forget that it will hit us hard too.

[Anonymous]

You also have better long-term care, short-term disability, long-term disability benefits. You get much more excused absences than we do. When the government gives 2 hour or 4 hour early dismissal? Never includes contractors. You get the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve excusal from the President?

There is no "long term care" or "disability benefit" provided federal employees. Use up you sick days, you're done, that's it. The day after Thanksgiving is NOT a federal holiday. If you take it, it comes out of annual leave. And yes, the president often dismisses federal workers a few hours early on Christmas Eve. If you'd planned ahead to take that day off, it comes out of your annual leave. Only workers at their duty stations enjoy the president's gesture. So please stop bitching about two hours per year that someone else "gets." BTW, as a federal employee, I spent Thanksgiving Day up to my hips in muck after Hurricane Sandy last fall. I was glad to do it - hope you enjoyed the football game, whiner.

[Anonymous]

yet if you read the Real Estate forum of DCUM, you are led to believe that DC real estate is ON FIRE, UNTOUCHABLE and you better jump in now or else....really?

I think that what I've read on these 8 pages is far more telling of the shit that is about to hit the fan than anything I read over there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yet if you read the Real Estate forum of DCUM, you are led to believe that DC real estate is ON FIRE, UNTOUCHABLE and you better jump in now or else....really?

I think that what I've read on these 8 pages is far more telling of the shit that is about to hit the fan than anything I read over there.

Maybe. This thread is mostly about whining. With respect to Real Estate, the "sequester" is really just the beginning of the end. The end of massive war and homeland security spending that have driven DC's boom for about twice as long as any other boom I've ever heard of. The world is not going to end, but the air is going to start coming out of the balloon, certainly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My agency/dept is not having furloughs, and we don't have any contractors--we got rid of them last year.

CIA?

No, National Park Service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm sorry , as OP and a Fed who knows how much contractors make I don't give a rats ass about your layooff. I'm sure you all have had plenty of opportunities to come on board at our shitty pay scale but stayed your course. The outrageous billing of many of these companies is partly to blame for the money shortfall.

Wow, a Fed whose also a jacka$$. You're the reason so many non-feds hate civil servants. I make roughly 10-15% over what my civil servant counterparts make. Which nowhere NEAR makes up for all of the perks you civil servants get. I get combined 4 weeks of PTO, that's combined annual leave and sick leave. Most civil servants with my level of experience get six weeks of annual leave, plus one week of sick leave. In other words, you get three weeks paid leave more than I do PER YEAR. Your benefits package is much better. Your TSP is significantly better than my 401K. Your employer, the US government puts in a lot more money into your TSP than my employer does. Over the course of 10 years, not even your full career in the civil service, you will more than make up the difference in our pay inequity. You also have better long-term care, short-term disability, long-term disability benefits. You get much more excused absences than we do. When the government gives 2 hour or 4 hour early dismissal? Never includes contractors. You get the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve excusal from the President? Never includes contractors. You get the majority of snow days. Most of us have to report to our contractor headquarters and still work. Your benefits are worth at least twice what our difference in pay is.

I have a lot of sympathy for most civil servants, but not you. You'll probably get furloughed, because karma is a bitch. Just like you.

x1000. Beautifully said. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You also have better long-term care, short-term disability, long-term disability benefits. You get much more excused absences than we do. When the government gives 2 hour or 4 hour early dismissal? Never includes contractors. You get the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve excusal from the President?

There is no "long term care" or "disability benefit" provided federal employees. Use up you sick days, you're done, that's it. The day after Thanksgiving is NOT a federal holiday. If you take it, it comes out of annual leave. And yes, the president often dismisses federal workers a few hours early on Christmas Eve. If you'd planned ahead to take that day off, it comes out of your annual leave. Only workers at their duty stations enjoy the president's gesture. So please stop bitching about two hours per year that someone else "gets." BTW, as a federal employee, I spent Thanksgiving Day up to my hips in muck after Hurricane Sandy last fall. I was glad to do it - hope you enjoyed the football game, whiner.

You are an uninformed civil servant. Yes, the government has arrangements with several companies who come out and offer group rate discounts for long-term care. My spouse is a civil servant as well and we were able to get long-term care for about 60% what it would have cost us to purchase independently because we were going through the representative assigned to sell long-term care to the civil servants. It's not a free benefit, but you/we get the benefit nonetheless for a significant discount from what the public pays. The President just granted civil servants Christmas Eve Monday 2012 off. And yes, only workers who had not previously taken any leave were eligible but there were still many, many civil servants who had not taken the day off who benefited. And if you went to both my agency and my spouse's agency, there were a ton of contractors that were still on-site working because they had not been excused by the executive order. I'm not whining because I'm grateful for my job. I'm trying to point out why people have so little compassion for the federal workers because of people like you who don't even appreciate the benefits and perks that come with your job. You feel absolutely entitled to the benefits that make your job more lucrative than many of ours and then complain that in plain salary, ignoring all those other perks, that you have such a hard life. Your a spoiled entitled brat that doesn't even realize what you are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You also have better long-term care, short-term disability, long-term disability benefits. You get much more excused absences than we do. When the government gives 2 hour or 4 hour early dismissal? Never includes contractors. You get the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve excusal from the President?

There is no "long term care" or "disability benefit" provided federal employees. Use up you sick days, you're done, that's it. The day after Thanksgiving is NOT a federal holiday. If you take it, it comes out of annual leave. And yes, the president often dismisses federal workers a few hours early on Christmas Eve. If you'd planned ahead to take that day off, it comes out of your annual leave. Only workers at their duty stations enjoy the president's gesture. So please stop bitching about two hours per year that someone else "gets." BTW, as a federal employee, I spent Thanksgiving Day up to my hips in muck after Hurricane Sandy last fall. I was glad to do it - hope you enjoyed the football game, whiner.

And that is a lie on the dismissals. Your company keeps you there to bill. They could definitley afford to release you with us

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm sorry , as OP and a Fed who knows how much contractors make I don't give a rats ass about your layooff. I'm sure you all have had plenty of opportunities to come on board at our shitty pay scale but stayed your course. The outrageous billing of many of these companies is partly to blame for the money shortfall.

Wow, a Fed whose also a jacka$$. You're the reason so many non-feds hate civil servants. I make roughly 10-15% over what my civil servant counterparts make. Which nowhere NEAR makes up for all of the perks you civil servants get. I get combined 4 weeks of PTO, that's combined annual leave and sick leave. Most civil servants with my level of experience get six weeks of annual leave, plus one week of sick leave. In other words, you get three weeks paid leave more than I do PER YEAR. Your benefits package is much better. Your TSP is significantly better than my 401K. Your employer, the US government puts in a lot more money into your TSP than my employer does. Over the course of 10 years, not even your full career in the civil service, you will more than make up the difference in our pay inequity. You also have better long-term care, short-term disability, long-term disability benefits. You get much more excused absences than we do. When the government gives 2 hour or 4 hour early dismissal? Never includes contractors. You get the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve excusal from the President? Never includes contractors. You get the majority of snow days. Most of us have to report to our contractor headquarters and still work. Your benefits are worth at least twice what our difference in pay is.

I have a lot of sympathy for most civil servants, but not you. You'll probably get furloughed, because karma is a bitch. Just like you.

x1000. Beautifully said. Thank you.

SO I am OP and as I mentioned when I started this thread. I received my furlough letter last week. ... Assuming I am ahead of the curve on Karma good luck to you biatches.