Understanding Furloughs in Government Employment: Overview and Guidelines
Furloughs in government employment can be discontinuous or continuous, impacting leave benefits and pay. This overview covers different furlough types, accrual of annual/sick leave, approval authorities, and restrictions on paid leave use during furlough periods.
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Furlough Overview Discontinuous/Continuous Requests Leave Benefits FEHB FEGLI TSP FEDVIP FSAFEDS Within Grade Increase TDY - Furlough Workers Compensation TimeKeeper Instructions New Employees Prorated Furlough Days Unemployment Compensation Family Support Fund
Sequester mandated reduction in budgetary resources Administrative furlough is a result of the DOD budgetary challenges Furloughs of 30 calendar days or less are covered under adverse action procedures found in Subpart D of 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 752. Technicians furloughed 11 work days or 88 hours Effective: 8 Jul 30 Sept 2013 Employees should not plan to receive retroactive compensation
Discontinuous Furlough - one day off per week or 18hrs in a pay period Alternate Work Schedule. Hours will be different depending on your work schedule (8/9/10 hours) Continuous Furlough 11 days or 88 hours continuous during furlough period. Technicians do not have to take all 11 days/88 hours continuous. Approval authorities for Continuous Furlough are the Army Chief of Staff/Air Wing Director of Staff
Use of paid leave or other forms of paid time off is prohibited (annual, sick, court, military leave, and any comp time earned or time-off awards) during furlough days. Compensatory time-off is not permitted to make up lost time or lost pay. Approval authorities for Comp time will be the Army Chief of Staff/Air Wing Director of Staff
Accrual of annual leave and sick leave If the furlough period is for part of a biweekly pay period, leave accrual will generally not be affected for that pay period. When 80 hours of non-pay status from the beginning of the Leave Year is accumulated, no annual or sick leave is earned in the pay period in which that 80 hour accumulation is reached. This occurs whether the accumulation is all in one pay period, or over the course of several pay periods.
Accrual of annual leave and sick leave If another 80 hours of non-pay status is accumulated during the same Leave Year, no annual or sick leave is earned in the pay period in which the new 80 hour total is reached. At the end of the Leave Year, any accumulation of non-pay status hours of less than 80 hours is zeroed out so that the accumulation of non-pay status hours for the next Leave Year starts at zero.
Within-grade and step increases for General Schedule and Federal Wage System employees are awarded on the basis of length of service and individual performance. Extended periods of non-pay status may affect the timing of such increases. For example, a GS employee in steps 1, 2, or 3 who is furloughed for more than 2 workweeks or 80 hours during the waiting period would have his or her within-grade increase delayed by at least a full pay period.
Benefits will continue! Furlough time off is treated in the same way as Personal Leave Without Pay (LWOP) for benefit purposes As the furlough count-down continues and the anticipation of its outcome heightens, the DOD employee benefits programs remain stable, and largely unaffected. Benefits will only be affected if technician elects to continuously furlough and funds becomes insufficient to pay premium for benefits. To avoid this situation schedule continuous furlough period over two pay periods.
Retirement Social Security (OASDI) Tax Medicare Tax Federal Income Tax Basic Health Insurance Premium Basic Life Insurance Premium State Income Tax Local Income Tax Collection of Debts Owed to the U.S. Government Optional Benefits Health Care/Limited-Expense Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) Dental (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) Vision (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) Health Savings Account (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) Optional Life Insurance Premiums (FEGLI optional benefits or similar benefits under other authority) Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums Dependent-Care Flexible Spending Accounts (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Loan Payments Basic Contributions Catch-up Contributions
BASIC RULES: Enrollment continues for no more than 365 days in a non-pay status. Employer is responsible for their portion of the FEHB premium Coverage will not lapse Technician remains responsible for employee portion of premium payments
What if their continuous furlough causes insufficient pay to pay the FEHB premium? If an employee elects to continue FEHB coverage, then FEHB premium that was missed will be collected in the future pay period.
Qualifying Life Events (QLE) to allow change in participant election in FEHB FURLOUGH IS NOT A QUALIFYING LIFE EVENT!!!!! Temporary employee who completes one year of service and is eligible to enroll under 5 USC 8906a Marriage, divorce, annulment Birth, adoption, acquiring foster child or stepchild, issuance of court order requiring employee to provide coverage for child Last child loses coverage, for example, child reaches age 26 or marries, foster child moves out of employee's home and/or becomes financially independent, or disabled child becomes capable of self-support, child acquires other coverage by court order Death of spouse or dependent Qualifying Life Events (QLE) to allow change in participant election in FEHB. FURLOUGH IS NOT A QUALIFYING LIFE EVENT!!!!! .
Coverage will continue during furlough period while in a non-pay status. If furlough results in a salary less than the FEGLI premium amount, employee s share will be withheld on return to full salary.
What happens to TSP during a furlough Those who contribute a % --- have a smaller proportionate amount deducted Those who contribute a $dollar amount --- that amount will not change and a technician needs to be aware that this will affect their net pay in a greater amount than the % method
TSP LOANS: - Can I take a TSP loan while I am furloughed? Answer: YES days YES, if it s a furlough of less than 30 Loan payments will be withheld providing sufficient salary is available; loans are not in default until the employee has missed more than 2 payments
BENEFEDS will generate a direct bill for past due premiums when no premium is paid for 2 consecutive pay periods. Coverage will continue only if the direct bills are paid timely. When you are placed in a furlough status you are still covered under the Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program.
If FEDVIP is unable to take the necessary amount of money out of your paycheck then it will take it out of your next check if there is sufficient funds. So in reality you will be paying twice the amount for what you would normally pay for that pay period just to catch up on your payments.
Can I terminate my coverage? During a furlough it is unauthorized to terminate your FEDVIP and re-enroll at a later date. These opportunities are limited to Benefits Open Season or in conjunction with a (QLE) qualifying life event.
Will an employees Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) be impacted during an administrative furlough? The employee s FSAFEDS coverage continues, and allotments made by the employee continue if the employee s salary in each pay period is sufficient to cover the deduction(s). If the employee s salary is insufficient to cover his or her allotment(s), then incurred eligible health care expenses will not be reimbursed until the allotments are successfully restarted.
Technicians CANNOT use furlough days while TDY. Make sure if you are scheduled for a technician TDY that you have not requested to be furloughed during this timeframe.
Are Employees who are Injured while on Furlough eligible to receive Workers Compensation Benefits? Are Employees who are Injured while on Furlough eligible to receive Workers Compensation Benefits? NO! NO! Federal Workers Compensation is paid to employees only if they are injured while performing work duties. Employees on furlough are not in a duty status.
New Employees hired after 8 July 2013 will be required to be furloughed. New Employees furlough hours will be prorated depending when they were hired. Example: Hire Date: 15 July must complete 80 hours or 10 days.
Randy Wilde is the Military Representative for the Idaho Department of Labor Phone: # 208-332-3575 extension 3298 Email: Randy.wilde@labor.idaho.gov 3rd Friday of each month 10 a.m. Noon Idaho Department of Labor 219 West Main Street Boise, Idaho 83735
Provides emergency financial assistance to Soldiers and their immediate family members. Contact your Family Assistance Center or Family Readiness Support Assistant for more information about the Idaho Family Fund and other financial assistance programs. Please contact your local FAC Specialist for an application and any questions/concerns. FAC Coordinator 4250 Cessna St., Bldg. 270, Boise, ID 83705 208 Renee.m.bade.ctr@mail.mil FAC Coordinator Gowen Gowen Field, Rene Bade Field, Rene Bade 208- -272 272- -4356/208 4356/208- -514 514- -9930 9930
SF 8, UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION REQUEST IDAHO AIR/ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SF 8, UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION REQUEST - - IDAHO AIR/ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SF 50, PERSONNEL ACTION, FURLOUGH SF 50, PERSONNEL ACTION, FURLOUGH
Randy Wilde is the Military Representative for the Idaho Department of Labor Phone: # 208-332-3575 extension 3298 Email: Randy.wilde@labor.idaho.gov Career Guidance Job Opportunities Training Programs Idaho Department of Labor 219 West Main Street Boise, Idaho 83735
Provides emergency financial assistance to Soldiers and their immediate family members. Contact your Family Assistance Center or Family Readiness Support Assistant for more information about the Idaho Family Fund and other financial assistance programs. Please contact your local FAC Specialist for an application and any questions/concerns. FAC Coordinator 4250 Cessna St., Bldg. 270, Boise, ID 83705 208 Renee.m.bade.ctr@mail.mil FAC Coordinator Gowen Gowen Field, Rene Bade Field, Rene Bade 208- -272 272- -4356/208 4356/208- -514 514- -9930 9930
