# Federal workers: anyone get a furlough notice yet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 4, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030 "2013-03-04T18:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![PaperBlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@PaperBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaperBlob)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/41 "2013-03-18T02:42:34Z")
Another DoD contractor here. We had a layoff earlier in the month, and the next business day, were notified that the survivors would be furloughed. One furlough day per two week pay period, for six pay periods, subject to extension if the situation warrants. So, only 10%, and possibly for a limited time. My company has contracts, but the funding for them started to dry up well in advance of the sequester, due to the uncertainty of it all. Now, there are indications that a couple of contracts that were halted or reduced will be getting more funding soon. As much as I dislike it, the furlough makes sense. We just can’t afford to lose too many people, or we won’t have the expertise we need to do the work when it comes back. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/42 "2013-03-18T16:16:56Z")
I have friends at the CIA, ICC, State Department and DOJ. So far, none have been furloughed yet. Thanks to all of those posting here for your service to the people of the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/43 "2013-03-18T16:29:45Z")
> [@Labtrash](#): > > My sister (Ft Detrick) got hers. One day a week unpaid for the rest of the year. Update - my sister’s furlough starts in April ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/44 "2013-03-18T17:04:44Z")
Dumb question: once you know that you’ll be furloughed for at least, say, 5 days, could you just take them all at once and visit the in-laws (or whatever)? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/45 "2013-03-18T17:27:21Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Dumb question: once you know that you’ll be furloughed for at least, say, 5 days, could you just take them all at once and visit the in-laws (or whatever)? Depends on your agency and/or supervisor. I’ve talked to some people who are being allowed to take their days whenever they choose, and are planning on taking them all at once at the end of the fiscal year, so if something happens that cancels the furloughs before then, they will not have missed any days. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/46 "2013-03-18T18:01:15Z")
> [@Uncle\_Jocko](#): > > Air traffic controller here, in pretty much exactly the same boat. Got my notice the first part of last week - 11 furlough days, one per pay period from mid-April to the end of September. > > We are already so short-staffed the schedule maker said he’d really only be able to get one person out on leave per day. Now, we’ll have one person furloughed per day, which means summer vacation leave is going to be extremely tight. They say they will try to go the extra mile so some people will be able to take the time off they bid four months ago - but that does mean we’ll have to work short in the tower (combined positions, cutting training of our newly arrived controllers, etc.) IOW-Do not travel by plane this summer! ---
**Author:** ![PaperBlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@PaperBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaperBlob)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/47 "2013-03-18T19:42:22Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Dumb question: once you know that you’ll be furloughed for at least, say, 5 days, could you just take them all at once and visit the in-laws (or whatever)? We’ve each been assigned a specific day of each pay period that we must use: either the first Friday, or second Friday, or first Monday, or second Monday. They did this to ensure that enough of us would be around to interact with the customer on any given Monday or Friday. I drew first Friday, which is what I wanted. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/48 "2013-03-21T18:16:51Z")
Looks like I’ll be waiting [another 2 weeks](http://www.stripes.com/news/us/pentagon-puts-brakes-on-sending-out-furlough-notices-for-now-1.212743) to get mine. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/49 "2013-03-21T19:05:46Z")
Some of our departments have had people getting asked what days they want to take. Mine has not yet. Obviously I’d like to have either a Monday or a Friday, but I’ll take Wednesday as the next choice. I just wish they’d get on with it so I know. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/50 "2013-03-21T19:14:19Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > Some of our departments have had people getting asked what days they want to take. Mine has not yet. Obviously I’d like to have either a Monday or a Friday, but I’ll take Wednesday as the next choice. I just wish they’d get on with it so I know. We had that meeting this morning. For some reason they want to make this bizarre revolving schedule, which makes no sense at all just by itself, but especially considering most people here are on compressed schedules (4 10-hour days) already. My suggestion of “everyone keep the same schedule but just work 8 hours on your work days” was met with blank, confused stares. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/51 "2013-03-21T19:25:51Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > For some reason they want to make this bizarre revolving schedule, which makes no sense at all just by itself, but especially considering most people here are on compressed schedules (4 10-hour days) already. My suggestion of “everyone keep the same schedule but just work 8 hours on your work days” was met with blank, confused stares. Hey, we are government workers after all! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/52 "2013-03-21T22:00:49Z")
Well damn. My letter was supposed to go out tomorrow. I honestly don’t think sticking their heads in the sand for another week is going to reduce the number of our furlough days, which means even more unpaid days per pay period to reach the magical number 22. :mad: Having two unpaid days per pay period was painful enough. Just send the freakin’ letters already and lets get on with it. That being said, my furlough day is supposed to be Friday. I’ve already had the sit down with my boss. **DCnDC** , your solution just made too much sense for them to comprehend. Sad, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/53 "2013-03-21T22:48:14Z")
> [@Taters](#): > > **DCnDC** , your solution just made too much sense for them to comprehend. Sad, isn’t it? When I first started here I was told I was too smart to ever make it to the top. I thought they were joking until today. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/54 "2013-03-22T11:18:02Z")
I’m sure it’s occurred to more than one of us that the gummint has probably lost more time to speculation, rumors, fretting, and panic than it will save with furloughs. I recall the last time we had a furlough drill (pre-July 2011, since I was still working) in our little command alone there were meetings and emails and bull session in the offices - more than once we probably wasted more than half a day’s productivity because of these things. Oddly enough, as a contractor now, I don’t see that here - at least not on this floor - no idea what’s going on downstairs. We’re just doing our work, and if they tell us we’ll have to take days off, we’ll deal. So far, NAVAIR hasn’t said anything specific as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/55 "2013-03-22T11:37:11Z")
I just got an email asking me to pick my dates for my furlough. It seems only 25% can be off any one day, done by service comp date. So now I have to spend my time figuring out what days to take and hoping that I get them because otherwise I will have to redo them if mine are taken. Guess I know what I’ll be doing this morning. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/56 "2013-03-22T13:44:16Z")
I work Tuesday to Saturday, and I’m certain I’m going to get Tuesdays off, which is fine by me. I can’t get Saturday because I’m the only one here that day. I’d actually kind of like to get Thursdays off. That’s basically like having short 2-day weeks, but I don’t think they’re going to go for that. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/57 "2013-03-22T13:51:56Z")
My wife’s office has already decided that they are going to have Fridays as the furlough days for everyone and the whole office is going to shut down. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/58 "2013-03-22T20:32:27Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > When I first started here I was told I was too smart to ever make it to the top. I thought they were joking until today. “No one is allowed to have a compressed schedule anymore. Everyone works 5 8s. Jimmy, when’s your usual day off? Friday? OK, that’s your furlough day. Have fun sitting at home.” … “Everyone got it now?” Personally, I think they should just have you work 8 hours and pay you for 7 instead of the current 8.5 for 8. It’s not fair that they make you work another half hour for free for “lunch break” that always mysteriously ends up with you at your desk, working and eating. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/59 "2013-03-22T21:13:08Z")
Amen on that one. I never get 30 minutes uninterrupted. Plus I have an hour commute each way. For an 80 hour pay period I spend 110 hours. This does not count the time spent getting ready for work. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030/60 "2013-03-23T17:58:45Z")
Well, yeah, but you can’t really blame your employer for your commute. Nobody else gets paid for those either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-workers-anyone-get-a-furlough-notice-yet/652030.md?page=4)