Air Force Exempting Oklahoma Tornado Victims From Furloughs

Air Force Exempting Oklahoma Tornado Victims From Furloughs

Charlie Riedel/AP

The Air Force on Monday exempted some Oklahoma-based civilian employees affected by the recent tornadoes from planned Defense Department furloughs

Tinker Air Force Base civilians whose homes were “destroyed or declared inhabitable” are being exempted from the 11 days of furloughs planned for Defense employees starting July 8, according to an announcement from the office of Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla. The Air Force was conducting the exemptions by invoking Alternate Safe Haven Authorities, the announcement said. Continue reading “Air Force Exempting Oklahoma Tornado Victims From Furloughs”

Furlough Watch: Agency-by-Agency Impacts of Sequestration

Furlough Watch: Agency-by-Agency Impacts of Sequestration

  • May 10, 2013 
Air traffic controllers will be among those furloughed.
Air traffic controllers will be among those furloughed. Mike Stewart/AP file photo

This report has been updated. 

Across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration are having have serious implications for federal workers, as mandatory unpaid furloughs planned for hundreds of thousands of employees begin to take effect. We have compiled a list of possible agency-by-agency plans and effects. We will update the list as more information becomes available. Please use the comment section below to let us know if you have additional information about your agency.

Agriculture Department: The department will not need to furlough food safety inspectors, due to the continuing resolution bill signed March 26.  An email sent by a senior official on April 24 to employees at the Farm Service Agency said that the stop-gap funding bill passed by Congress would prevent furloughs at the agency. And the Rural Development division might escape furloughs too, meaning the whole department could be in the clear.

Air Force: The Washington Post reported that employees in combat zones, non-appropriated funds employees, and foreign nationals would be excepted from furloughs. The Post also said that further exceptions would be allowed for “safety of life or property.” An Air Force spokeswoman told Government Executive that all Air Force civilian police, security guards and firefighters would be subject to furlough “except at installations where the manning level is under 25 percent.” Continue reading “Furlough Watch: Agency-by-Agency Impacts of Sequestration”

Sequestration: Bad for Students, Old People, Law Enforcement, Environment, Probably You

 02252013_budgetcut.jpg

Via Shutterstock

With Congress and the White House unlikely to strike a deal by Friday to cut the federal budget deficit, a series of automatic cuts known as sequestration are set to go into effect. In total, various federal agencies will be forced to cut $85 billion from their collective operating budgets, resulting in a very tangible reduction in government services.

D.C. would feel the burden very directly, and not just in the number of federal workers who might be forced to take furlough days. The White House last night released state-by-state impact reports on the potential effects of sequestration, with education, workforce development, and public health all taking hits.

The District would lose about $533,000 in funding for primary and secondary education, equivalent to cutting off 1,000 students and ending support to two public schools. D.C. Public Schools’ programs for students with learning disabilities would face even tougher cuts, with $925,000 in funding for teacher and staff salaries set to disappear. Continue reading “Sequestration: Bad for Students, Old People, Law Enforcement, Environment, Probably You”

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