FMA RESPONDS TO DEFENSE DEPARTMENT’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF ELEVEN DAYS OF FURLOUGHS - May 16, 2013
DOD civilian employee can expect eleven days at the most of leave without pay starting July 8, 2013.
Alexandria, VA – In a memo to Department of Defense (DOD) leaders dated May 14, 2013, Secretary Charles Hagel announced the department will furlough civilian employees for at least eleven days. DOD faced deep budgetary shortfalls during FY13, which drove the necessity of furloughs. Furlough days will occur weekly starting on July 8, and run through the end of FY13 in September.
Before
a group of civilian DOD employees on May 14, Secretary Charles Hagel announced,
despite departmental efforts to forgo furloughs, it is necessary to furlough
civilian employees in order to comply with across-the-board department cuts as
mandated by the sequester. While initial speculation was there would be twenty-two
furlough days, due to DOD efforts to reduce spending through cutting back on
training and maintenance, the number of days was reduced. With some exceptions,
civilian defense employees will receive furlough notices between May 28 and
June 5.
Upon
hearing the news of furloughs, FMA National President Patricia Niehaus remarked,
“While better than the initial estimate of twenty-two days of furloughs, I am
disappointed DOD has not been awarded needed flexibility to avoid furloughs
altogether. These cuts in personnel severely impact our nation’s military
readiness, at home and abroad, as well as the livelihoods’ of the men and women
who support our armed forces on a daily basis.”
President
Niehaus further commented, “FMA is pleased DOD made exceptions for naval
shipyards due to the costly affects of delays in maintenance work on nuclear
vessels. However, it is discouraging that exceptions cannot be made for working
capital fund (WCF) employees. FMA wrote Secretary Hagel last month stating
there is no need to furlough these employees as their work is already funded. WCF
activities are self-sustaining and all costs of operations are covered by
contractually funded manufacturing orders already received. No annual
appropriations are required or received to cover annual operating costs.
“I encourage Members of Congress and leaders within
DOD to afford the department funding flexibility that accurately reflects the
needs of the department and its personnel.”