FLASH: Confidence Shattered

[The Chief]

As someone who manages and signs for DoD civilian timecards, I can say with high confidence that furloughed civilians will NOT receive backpay for days they were furloughed. I know everyone got a paid vacation in 95/96, but this time is different.

The White House announced it would support a House spending bill to provide back-pay for furloughed federal workers.

Memo to File: Listen to Chief’s that know.

 

[Brett327]

Like I said in the other thread, if they fund backpay, I'm all for it. Until then, the OSD guidance is the governing policy, which is what I was conveying in my original post - guidance we were instructed to consel our DoD civilians on.

 

[The Chief]

Memo Number 2: Leave excuses in the "dog ate my homework" bin.

 

[brownshoe]

The White House announced it would support a House spending bill to provide back-pay for furloughed federal workers.

Memo to File: Listen to Chief’s that know.

Lunch? Gladchuk's? (My turn to buy.)

 

[Brett327]

I don't know what's more entertaining - The fervor with which some of you folks are trying to prove me wrong (on a statement of DoD policy), or the significant emotional event FedDoc seems to be having over little old me. Either way, I'm delighted. Keep 'em coming - they're all going in my memoirs. I'll be here all weekend.

 

[brownshoe]

I don't know what's more entertaining - The fervor with which some of you folks are trying to prove me wrong (on a statement of DoD policy), or the significant emotional event FedDoc seems to be having over little old me. Either way, I'm delighted. Keep 'em coming - they're all going in my memoirs. I'll be here all weekend.

Huh? John and I are just trying to meet for lunch.

 

[Renegade One]

Sounds like furloughed Fed workers have it the best…go home…do whatever…we'll pay you anyway whether you worked or not.

You AD folks just keep showing up…you'll get paid as well, but can shoulder the load of others until whenever.

I'm probably missing something…seriously…since I never had to "manage" GS-types in this sort of situation.

As for Brett, The Chief and FedDoc…you guys need a "Beer Summit" on the White House patio...

 

[CommodoreMid]

Nope, the furlough is pretty shitty overall. We can't do sims UFN. How this impacts our T&R is a long, long conversation, but to summarize, not good at all.

 

[xj220]

I bet as readiness you're pulling your hair out, haha.

 

[picklesuit]

I don't understand how they can get paid the same as the non furloughed GS workers that were "lucky" enough to get to stay at work and do triple duty. We have three civilians doing the work of 11. Would there at least be overtime or a bonus for those who kept working or is it just punishment for being the most useful?

 

[JackyB]

In government at all levels, the work gravitates to those who do it.

 

[azguy]

I don't know what's more entertaining - The fervor with which some of you folks are trying to prove me wrong (on a statement of DoD policy), or the significant emotional event FedDoc seems to be having over little old me. Either way, I'm delighted. Keep 'em coming - they're all going in my memoirs. I'll be here all weekend.

Let's keep it real, based on your post in another thread, you took that OSD memo as gospel... based on your "expertise" as a supervisor of GS's.

Common sense is that Congress will back pay everyone, just like they did in the 90s. 800,000 furloughed workers and their families actually makes up a significant segment of the electorate.

 

[Flash]

.....Common sense is that Congress will back pay everyone, just like they did in the 90s. 800,000 furloughed workers and their families actually makes up a significant segment of the electorate.

Are you sure those two should be used in the same sentence?

While a significant portion of the electorate they are concentrated in certain areas, exemplified by the fact that one of the sponsors of the bill is a Republican who represents a district in Northern Virginia. Until the proposed bill is passed and signed into law I won't count on the furloughed feds being paid.

 

[BUDU]

Nope, the furlough is pretty shitty overall. We can't do sims UFN. How this impacts our T&R is a long, long conversation, but to summarize, not good at all.

We can't either. My class needs to get a bunch of sims in very very quickly or we miss out on our winging flight slot.

 

[jcj]

In all previous shutdowns, "nonessential" federal workers were sent home were eventually paid for their furloughed time off when they returned as a part of the deal that restored funding. Unlike the troops & "essential" workers who stayed on the job and received a "lump sum" (mandatory) payment when funding was restored for the work they did during the furlough, the payments to "nonessential" federal workers were discretionary by Congress - not mandatory - because they were furloughed in a non-pay status. Perhaps it wasn't fair to pay some for staying at home while paying others to do their work, but that's what happened for whatever prevailing "wisdom" - and I use that term very loosely - Congress chose & the President signed off on.

This time, military and some DOD civilians are being paid on time as usual. Other federal worker who are designated "essential" must work, but won't be paid until funding is restored. "Nonessential" federal workers have been sent home until funding is restored. Congress & the President may choose to pay "non-essential" federal employees for furloughed time off as they have in the past, but they are under no obligation to do so and some of the reporting has been that the situation is so acrimonious between the hard-liners in the parties that it might not happen this time - particularly with a long shutdown where retroactive pay for unworked time would be significant financial impact. So it could be different this time, and those likely to be harmed the most are lower level civilian federal employees who may live paycheck to paycheck and may be unlikely to have significant cash reserves to "tide the over".