If Fed Gov't gets, furloughed/sequestered- what are chances they won't get back pay for days off?

[Anonymous]

In 1996, my agency kept working through the stalemate. We did not close. We are fee-funded, but not deemed 'essential'.

Every other agency that shut-down basically got paid a week's vacation.

Not sure how it will play out this time...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Furlough starts either in March or April, I can't remember.

NPR's Hill correspondent thought that the sequester would go into effect on March 1, but that they'd come to an agreement before April 1 in order to prevent any furloughs (which would start April 1).

So the sequester will technically go into effect and everyone will freak the fuck out and we'll be subjected to endless bullshit on the 24-hour news stations, but that it won't actually go into effect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: In 1996, my agency kept working through the stalemate. We did not close. We are fee-funded, but not deemed 'essential'.

Every other agency that shut-down basically got paid a week's vacation.

Not sure how it will play out this time...

USPS? IRS?

[Anonymous]

There's no specific data, AFAIK, when furloughs would start-- each agency needs to figure out how to get the cuts out of its programs, which likely will mean furloughs, but the "deadline" for saving the money is going to be in September.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a government shutdown, which is different, employees who are required to work because they are deemed essential get back pay, and Congress has historically voted for back pay for all employees. I think if there is a furlough, we're not getting back pay.

This is important. In the past, when feds have been "furloughed" it was because the government literally shut down. In this case, the government will not shut down. Each agency will be forced to slash its budget. And the only feasible option to do that in many instances will be to furlough workers. Agenciec sould, theoretically not furlough anybody (and nstead, say, sell off all property, close airports, etc). It is fundamentally different fromt he past furloughs as a legal matter. I would not expect it to be handled the same way.

PP is exactly right. This is not Congress' failure to pass a budget by deadline, this is Congress' decision to not spend money: no reason to expect they will change their minds and spend it later.

[Anonymous]

OP, you're confusing a full government shutdown with an administrative furlough. They're very different and not comparable situations.

Bottom line -- no one is getting back pay for administrative furlough days under the sequester. Absolutely, positively, no way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you're confusing a full government shutdown with an administrative furlough. They're very different and not comparable situations.

Bottom line -- no one is getting back pay for administrative furlough days under the sequester. Absolutely, positively, no way.

I agree with this poster --- this is a "Save Money" furlough. So the whole point of the furlough is to savemoney.
Congress won't be involved in any decisions by individual agencies to furlough employees -- Most non-Defense agencies have to save 8%+ from budget but have only 7 months to do it. Most have saved some money already this year but only way to get to Congressional targets is through furloughs.

And no, way, no how, will anyone get backpay.

So if you are a fed and you don't have an emergency fund, start saving now...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we were forced to work unpaid, because we were essential personnel, the last time, we never really got paid back.

You got paid if you worked, it's illegal otherwise. In the past people also got paid when the government closed and they didn't work because they were willing and able to work but blocked from doing so.

This time, the government is open and people are being furloughed (rather than laid off) to save money. So, no, you are not ever going to get paid for those days.

[Anonymous]

Look. It was my damned paycheck and I sure as hell didn't get paid. They paid us some of it. We didn't get differential even though we worked the days we should've. We didn't get holiday pay though we worked it. And somehow, we all came up between 500-1000 dollars short.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't count on being paid, hopefully you have saving stashed.

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty sure "furlough" in this case means no back pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it would happen this time. Is there any way the House would vote for back pay in the current political climate?

Don't be naive. The House doesn't give a shit what the public thinks. Their approval rating is like 30%.

True, but there pretty much is a national hatred of Feds and contractors alike. I think there is popular support to screw both anyway they can.

This is true. Signed, the public

Yeah, I mean, obviously, right? I mean, the Feds fucked up the country with that crazy derivatives and mortgage-backed securities stuff. And lax lending standards. And, geez, all those teachers making 10-figure bonuses and stuff. And those grandstanding soldiers fighting that war in Afghanistan -- what a bunch of freeloaders. Awful stuff. Stick it to the Feds man. Stick it TO them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it would happen this time. Is there any way the House would vote for back pay in the current political climate?

Don't be naive. The House doesn't give a shit what the public thinks. Their approval rating is like 30%.

True, but there pretty much is a national hatred of Feds and contractors alike. I think there is popular support to screw both anyway they can.

This is true. Signed, the public

+310million

[Anonymous]

Federal worker is an oxymoron, like military intelligence.

[Anonymous]

Federal worker is an oxymoron, like military intelligence.

You are an a$$hole. How about telling that to the soldiers who have been deployed to war zones for the past decade? Or the prosecutors who are putting people in jail, and the agents who are making arrests? Or maybe the doctors and nurses taking care of wounded veterans? The air traffic controllers making sure your flights don't crash? Your problem is that your mental image of a government worker is one step removed from the old welfare queen stereotype (so you are apparently racist as well as ignorant).