Federal Furlough Notices Go Out As Sequestration Takes Effect

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- Federal employees began receiving furlough notices on Friday, as the deep budget cuts known as sequestration went into effect.

More than 1 million federal employees face the possibility of unpaid time off due to the across-the-board spending cuts. While some notices are going out on Friday, the furloughs will not actually take effect until April, as the government is required to give employees 30 days' notice.

The Democratic staff of the House Oversight Committee released a furlough notice sent to an assistant U.S. attorney on Friday, which read, "This memorandum notifies you that the Department of Justice (DOJ) proposes to furlough you no earlier than 30 days from receipt of this notice."

"We recognize the difficult personal financial implications of any furlough, no matter how limited its length. We will make every effort to keep you informed as additional information regarding agency funding becomes available," the letter added.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/01/furlough-notices_n_2790078.html

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Don't worry! Congressional Republicans are getting 100% of their paycheck no matter what happens.

[MADem]

1. I really do wish there was a law that said if federal employees are not getting paid, that

Congressional pay is dialed back, say, a hundred years until the issue is resolved.

That would encourage cooperation, if nothing else!

Of course, Congress makes law, and all appropriations begin in the HOUSE....so that has as much chance of happening as pigs learning to fly...!

[SoapBox]

2. Ditto to cutting Congress pay...

The whole thing is SO outrageous.

Those clowns in Congress should be the first to have pay and all those loverly benefits/perks cut.

Then next up is that bloated PIG, The Pentagon.

[MADem]

3. The Pentagon could cut a fortune with decent accounting.

They ought to hire a massive cadre of retired disbursing/pay clerk and logistics/supply officers and put them to work running the military pay system, while they recall all the active duty money people to the Pentagon to conduct a full scale audit. They should all be given a very minute area of responsibility, and a fine-toothed comb. I'll bet they'd find billions that could be eliminated with ZERO pain in the very first month. If they kept at it, they could find trillions in waste over the years, and once they find it, they can fix it.

There's just too much slop happening at the Five Sided Funny Farm, IMO.

[Skittles]

7. CORRECT

[eggplant]

9. And we can offer those people a bounty as well

say 1% of the first year's cost of whatever they find, with no cap. Accountants would be lining up in droves.

[MADem]

10. They used to do that--not sure if that program is still in place.

You'd fill out a form before the days of computers, and send it in. I knew a few people who were rewarded for finding efficiencies--one guy bought a Corvette with his "winnings!"

[24601]

13. There could be, if it weren't for the 27th Amendment to the Constitution. I'm awaiting my notice,

but it didn't come today.

Yes, I am part of the cost of government. That said, if politics allows, I'd say that not furloughing people should trump promotions, bonuses and filling vacancies of those who retire or resign.

[MADem]

14. Hey, don't feel bad. And I agree that promotions should be put on hold.

I hope they skip over you and call you key/essential! They might want to put out a call for early retirement volunteers, if needs must. There are ways to economize--this GOP House is more interested in obstruction than solutions, though--I hope that shit bites them in their raddled old rumps!

I still get a check from the gubmint--a retirement check.

I earned it, too, if I do say so myself!

[CreekDog]

19. I think you completely misunderstand the amount of the cuts and the costs of the items you cite

award budgets are pitifully small.

second, a roughly 5% cut that takes effect at the end of March, means a 10% reduction for the rest of the fiscal year.

you are not going to make that up by withholding promotions, not filling vacancies (and if you're the FAA, can you really *not* fill a vacancy?).

not only that, the sequester is across the board cuts. what you don't get to do is figure out where to cut --because first, the cuts are large enough that you really can't, and second, because the cuts are across the board, you aren't allowed to be surgical.

let's talk about this in terms of the reality and the requirements of the law and not pretend the sequester is smaller than it is, nor more flexible than it is.

let's talk about it in reality and if you don't understand the reality of it, then i really think you should learn about it in detail.

[24601]

24. I understand this in minute detail. The average (non-shift) federal workforce is 26 pay periods

of 10 workdays each. Our12-hour shift workers in our 24-hour work centers receive holiday, night and Sunday differentials and end up with approximately 25% more than their base plus locality pay.

Furloughs of up to 22 days result in earning 8.46% less annual pay that will feel like 15% when compressed into the six months of April-September.

Our FEHBP, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance Premiums remain fixed costs.

Income Tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare will decrease slightly as they are collected based on projected income.

TSP withholdings are adjusted as each employee directs.

The sequester affects budget line items. For the vast majority, and for this discussion, these are the Cabinet Department and independent Agency Civilian Pay Line Items. Military Pay is exempt. The Constitution prohibits reducing judicial pay. It also prohibits varying Congressional Pay without in intervening election.

In DoD for example, there is not one monolithic line item. Each military department and defense agency and Defense Agency has it's own unique civilian pay line item. Some are in great shape and can manage the line item reduction without furloughs and some cannot.

The question is whether Cabinet Officers and Independent Agency Heads will be allowed to manage what they choose within the constraints of their civilian pay line items. I question whether the President will allow that, or whether he will direct up to 22 furlough days for the maximum number of people regardless of the fiscal necessity of doing so - in order to affect the largest number of employees.

There is no way the administration would govern 22 days because RIF rules would set in. Then, the law requires observance of other factors such as seniority and veterans preference.

For example, the Small Business Administration, Government Accountability Office and Smithsonian have determined that they can manage the cost without furloughs.
(http://www.executivegov.com/2013/02/sba-smithsonian-believe-sequestration-furloughs-not-needed/)

So if you see the administration letting subordinate leaders manage within their line items, the President is playing it straight. If you see the maximum number of employees furloughed, it will be your confirmation that the President isn't being honest and is instead going for political gain on the backs of federal employees.

Yes, I know the numbers and understand it very well.

(Your move Mr. President.)

[hughee99]

17. Not just congressional pay, as many of them can afford it, but congressional staffers...

Many of those people do rely on their paychecks and Congresspersons will be surrounded by, and relying on, these people every day.

[MADem]

18. Yep--Staffers brought Newt Gingrich down!

They got tired of his shit...and his favoritism to a certain staffer named "Calista!"

Without the staffers, they're hosed!

[hughee99]

23. They know where the bodies are buried,

they handle scheduling and PR and research, and they can fuck you up. It's one thing to tell some nameless demographic you don't give a shit if they can't make their mortgage payments because you'd rather play politics with their jobs, it's another to tell that to the people who get your coffee, write your speeches and set up your meetings.

[Zorro]

4. Coming up next...

government shutdown at the end of the month.

Boehner and his insane clown posse will try to jam outrageous cuts to public services in their DOA budget proposal, and then blame Obama for the shutdown when Boehner refuses any compromise.

[Wellstone ruled]

5. This is going to be a big time

disaster for our young families that work for the Government. Getting ready for the grand kids to spend their summer vacations with us just to give their parents some financial relief. It's going to be a real interesting summer,boy are we going to spoil these rascals,hope they will enjoy old fogies. BTW,two are TSA and one is special ED teacher.

Just another Wall Street win. Time for the hired help to get active and kickass and take names.

[jwirr]

6. Ben trying all day to get into the Social Security GoDirect site to see if my money all got in. I

assume all other seniors are doing the same thing and we are shutting the site down.

[onehandle]

8. Social Security payments will not be affected, however...

...if you have a problem with your deposit, it may be harder to get in touch with a human at SS on the phone or in an office.

If it's set up and has been working fine, I wouldn't worry about not getting paid, but of course you should check.

[RebelOne]

37. It has been repeated over and over that Social Security payments will not be affected. n/t

[Zorro]

20. Had trouble logging in to my bank account today

I think a lot of people were hitting the Chase website and checking on their automatic deposits.

[Pterodactyl]

11. This is a disaster.

Obama should have done more to prevent this.

[MADem]

15. Oh, please. Tell us, precisely now, what Obama should have done?

Given Bonehead everything he wants? Fired a bunch of people? Slashed aid to the neediest among us?

Come on, now--you're Obama for a post...what would YOU do?

[Pterodactyl]

21. Would have compromised with the Senate and the House in 2011.

[MADem]

22. Do go on--that's not an answer. Please be as specific as you can manage.

"Compromise" on what?

What should he have given up?

[Pterodactyl]

26. Specifically, I would not have signed anything with a sequester.

What's YOUR brilliant solution? Going forward with the sequester? Getting into this situation has been a disaster. Thousands if not millions will lose their jobs! Aid programs will be slashed. Air traffic controllers will be cut back. We're talking about people's lives here.

[MADem]

28. Well, gee--Obama didn't "sign anything with a sequester" either.

You're the one who jumped on Obama, not me. You're the one who needs to come up with a "brilliant solution" since you're so damn critical. And try coming up with a few facts and not GOP talking points, perhaps?

Keep talking, though--it's fascinating, getting to know you.

[Pterodactyl]

30. Check your facts, MAD. I'm talking about the Budget Control Act of 2011.

That contained your beloved sequester.

[MADem]

31. Wait a minute--didn't that just kick the can down the road? nt

[Pterodactyl]

32. Yes, and here we are, down the road. Coming to this point was a failure.

I am not a fan of kicking the can down the road. I thought it was a stupid deal then and I think the 2011 act is stupid now.

[MADem]

33. But that wasn't Obama's intent, to get to this point.

It was the recalcitrance of Bonehead that brought us to this point, not Obama's fault. Bonehead was unmotivated to lead, because he is afraid of the tea party nuts.

You know, it's Congress that passes laws, it's the House that originates appropriations, and the President's job is to sign the shit or veto it.

It's not his job to go up the Hill and plead with Bonehead to do his damn job. There comes a point in time where intransigence needs to be noticed and called out--and Bonehead is past his sell-by date on that score.

[Pterodactyl]

34. We've got the presidency and half of congress! Intentionally or through failure, here we are.

[MADem]

35. We don't have the half of Congress where the MONEY lives, though.

All appropriations must start in the House. And the GOP owns the House...for now.

[Pterodactyl]

36. And they can do NOTHING without the Senate.

[blkmusclmachine]

12. Remember, we got here with the "help" of the "Democrats," too.

DC, and Wall St., will protect themselves.

1 Party, 2 Faces.

[MADem]

16. Are you sure you are on the right message board?

I don't really know how we can force a GOP House--and that's where appropriations begin, that's the "money" chamber--to do what they don't want to do.

[madville]

38. 95 House Democrats and 45 Democratic Senators

Voted for the BCA of 2011. Looking past the public theatre I think both sides wanted the cuts, it was the only real way to get into the Petagon's pockets.

Over 100 Republicans voted against the BCA, I bet they are sitting around now saying we didn't support this mess.

[lonestarnot]

25. Shock doctrine manufactured bullshit. I called them both in this stinking red assed state to let

them know what I thought of the 2 1/2 day a weekers.

[tammywammy]

27. If you email Cruz's office you get put on a fluff newsletter email list.

I don't expect a personal reply, but at least Cornyn sends a generic "I received your correspondence."

So after I got my fluff email newsletter, I promptly unsubscribed and sent another email to his office. I basically stated I did not want on a newsletter which didn't even mention what I wrote them about, and if they cannot even muster up a generic email response I'd prefer nothing.

At least Hutchinson's office had it down. Write her regarding issue X and receive the generic letter from her office regarding issue X.

[lonestarnot]

29. Fuckers.