News

DOD civilian furloughs to begin July 8

June 27, 2013
Courtesy of the Ramstein Civilian Personnel Section

The FY13 Appropriated Fund civilian furlough period will begin July 8 and continue through Sept. 30. Furloughs will cause significant challenges for civilian employees as they will see a 20 percent reduction in their salary for a period of 11 weeks. In addition, it will create challenges for the affected organizations as they will have to ensure missions continue while losing the significant contributions of APF civilians for 11 weeks.

To ensure missions continue, work will need to be prioritized to take full advantage of the hours APF civilians are available. During the furlough period, operations will not and cannot be business as usual. We must also ensure we are good wingmen for our APF civilians and provide them support during these difficult times.

Information for supervisors:

  • Supervisors establish and approve APF employee furlough schedules. APF employees who are currently using alternate/flexible work schedules and telework should have that schedule adjusted/canceled during the furlough period. Supervisors have some limited flexibility to adjust work and furlough schedules to meet mission requirements and APF employee requests, however mission requirements take precedence.
  • Work must be planned around limited availability of APF civilian workforce during an eight-hour workday/32-hour workweek (64 hours per pay period). Supervisors will not approve, and full-time APF civilian employees will not work any undocumented/uncompensated hours in excess of their normal duty day. Except in highly limited circumstances, overtime or compensatory time is not authorized during furlough. Supervisors may approve the earning of credit hours during the furlough period. These credit hours, however, must be used in the same pay period in which they were earned and cannot be earned on the last workday of a pay period.
  • On furlough days, APF employees are legally prohibited from doing any DOD- or AF-related official or unofficial work. Supervisors must ensure APF employees do not work in excess of scheduled hours without prior management approval. APF civilians may not serve as unpaid volunteers.
  • On furlough days, supervisors may not recall APF civilian employees to work. If a change to the original furlough day schedule is required, it must be coordinated with the employee in advance of the designated furlough day.

Information for employees:

  • Supervisors must not request and full-time APF civilian employees may not agree to work any uncompensated hours in excess of their normal duty day.
  • During a furlough day, APF employees are legally prohibited from doing any DOD- or AF-related official or unofficial work. Checking BlackBerrys, answering work-related phone calls or using their Air Force-issued laptops beyond normal duty hours could place both the APF employee and the supervisor in violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act and be used as the basis for disciplinary action.
  • An APF employee working in excess of scheduled hours at his/her own initiative, and without prior management approval, will be in violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act and could be subject to disciplinary actions.
  • Except in highly limited circumstances, overtime/compensatory time is not authorized during the furlough period.
  • If an APF employee is in a use-or-lose leave status and is unable to take scheduled leave due to mission requirements, to file for restored leave they must provide documentation showing that leave was requested, approved and canceled due to an exigency of the service.
  • As a general rule, APF employees are entitled to pay for a U.S. federal holiday as long as they are in a pay status or a paid time-off status (for example, leave, compensatory time off, compensatory time off for travel, or credit hours) on either the workday preceding a holiday or the workday following a holiday. Employees who are in a non-pay status (furlough day or LWOP) for the workdays immediately before and after a holiday will not receive compensation for the holiday.
  • Generally, management-approved work-life programs, such as authorized time for physical fitness, will continue during the furlough, unless mission requirements warrant the employee staying at work and performing their duties. Talk with your supervisor about work schedules, expectations and mission impact.

Where can I find more information?

Who can I contact?
Contact your servicing Human Resource or Civilian Personnel Section. Ramstein AF APF civilians can call 480-7608 or 478-6714 for information.

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