Furlough Q: Are You (or DH) "Essential"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is essential. He's an FBI Agent. I think his biggest concern is doing without the support staff...like his wonderful secretary.

Why the need for secretaries these days of computers? I thought this was one of the professions that the computer age has done away with.

wtf? have you called any law office or other major business. most likely those answering the phones are not the person you are trying to reach. director's at our agencies all have secretaries. they do the clerical type suff, scheduling, screening, etc. automation does not take away that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: patent office being essential. Not true. Government agencies that generate their own revenue - like the patent office and postal service - are not subject to shutdown, since the shutdown is due to being out of money. Different funding pools.

I don't know anyone who is 'smug' about their job security, but I do know that almost everyone in my agencu could be making a LOT more money in the private sector, but are here b/c they care about public service. I'm happy to see them have job security because of it, and you should be, too.

Essential employees work but do not get paid, I believe. And not every agency tried to designate everyone as essential - there were about 5 people in my entire 10 story building.

And now a question: I heard that in the last shut down folks had to pay their health insurance premium not being paid by the gov't) themselves. Does anyone know if that's true and if, in addition to not getting a paycheck we should expect to have to pay out the gov't and our paycheck-deducted contribution?

I think this is incorrect. We have been told that essential employees who work will be paid. Thus, the effort to make that list as minimal as possible. Also, the government cannot accept free services. So those that work must be paid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: We have been told that essential employees who work will be paid. Thus, the effort to make that list as minimal as possible. Also, the government cannot accept free services. So those that work must be paid.

Yes, but the question is when--during or after the shutdown?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: We have been told that essential employees who work will be paid. Thus, the effort to make that list as minimal as possible. Also, the government cannot accept free services. So those that work must be paid.

Yes, but the question is when--during or after the shutdown?

If people are deemed "essential" and are usually paid from appropriated funds, they may have to come to work, but will not be paid.

For PTO - if your billions you generate in revenue is appropriated, you will still shut down. If it's mandatory and doesn't require appropriations action, you are ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is essential. He's an FBI Agent. I think his biggest concern is doing without the support staff...like his wonderful secretary.

Why the need for secretaries these days of computers? I thought this was one of the professions that the computer age has done away with.

You can't be serious.

[Anonymous]

For what it's worth, there are no secretaries in my legal department. There is a single infomation specialist who does filing and some copying.