http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=BF303B6D-622C-48B3-8524-9F310584C4C6 Pentagon delays furlough notices
By: Kate Brannen
March 21, 2013 03:00 PM EDT
The Pentagon is delaying its first furlough warnings to civilian employees by two weeks, according to an internal email obtained by POLITICO. The notices were initially scheduled to go out on Thursday.
The message said defense officials need time to analyze the temporary spending measure that Congress passed this week. That will push the first furlough advisories to April 5, said the email, which was sent on behalf of Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale and Jessica Wright, acting undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness.
“This delay will allow the department to carefully analyze the impact of pending continuing resolution legislation on the department's resources,” the email said. "The legislation could have some impact on the overall number of furlough days, but no decisions have been reached, especially since the legislation hasn't been signed into law."
Pentagon Press Secretary George Little issued a written statement later in the day on Thursday.
“The department has decided to delay the issuance of civilian employee furlough notices for approximately two weeks,” he said. “This delay will allow the department to carefully analyze the impact of pending continuing resolution legislation on the department's resources. We have not made any decisions on whether or not the total number of planned furlough days for fiscal year 2013 will change as a result of this delay. We believe the delay is a responsible step to take in order to assure our civilian employees that we do not take lightly the prospect of furloughs and the resulting decrease in employee pay."
The House passed the CR Thursday in a vote of 318-109, keeping the government funded through the end of the fiscal year. The legislation includes an appropriations bill for the Defense Department that better aligns funding with the Pentagon’s needs. In doing so, it could free up some money for civilian salaries and therefore reduce the number of furlough days required to meet spending caps imposed by March 1’s sequestration.
The Pentagon had said previously that most of its 800,000 civilian employees would need to be furloughed up to 22 days, about a 20 percent reduction in pay. It has said the furloughs are expected to begin at the end of April.
The Pentagon comptroller's office has also completed its review of requested furlough exemptions. The final list will be approved after they are reviewed with Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter, according to the email.
