Furlough implementation begins July 8

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  • By Staff Reports
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Recently, the Secretary of Defense announced the furlough implementation plan for civilian employees.

Most of the Department of Defense's 800,000 civilians will take up to 11 days of unpaid leave before Sept. 30, down from the 22 days that were originally estimated in February. Generally, this will mean furloughing employees one day per week or 16 hours every two-week period for the remaining pay periods through Sept. 30.

The furlough places an employee in a temporary non-duty, non-pay status because of lack of work, reduction or lack of funds, or other non-disciplinary reasons. Under sequestration the unpaid furloughs will be enacted beginning July 8. Most employees will be furloughed one day per week for the last 12 weeks of the fiscal year, equating to a twenty percent cut in their pay for those weeks.

There are several categories of civilians who may be exempted from the furloughs. Those include civilians deployed to combat zones, civilians necessary to maintain safety of life and protect property, and foreign national employees, many of who are paid by foreign governments.

Also excluded are employees funded by non-appropriated funds, because furloughing employees in this category would not reduce the DOD budget and would not assist in meeting sequestration reductions.

Locally, the RAF Lakenheath Commissary will close Mondays beginning July 8, running through Sept. 30. Also, the Department of Defense Dependent Schools personnel will be furloughed for five days beginning at the start of the 2013-2014 school year.