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I am one of those furloughed, and I am of two minds about this. I dislike the thought of being paid for not working. Yet, I know that many in my office live paycheck to paycheck (I don't have that worry), so I would be glad for their sakes.
It seems like the members of Congress are trying to ease their conscious, plus planning a long, long shutdown.
If I were President Obama, I would veto it. It did not work out well for his signing the CR for paying the military, since it gave the GOP the idea of submitting 'piece meal' legislation.
Believe Obama already said he would support it. However, it does make me think that there is a belief this shutdown will indeed be a long thing.
Tonight Rachel Maddow opened her show with a segment that gets right to the heart of the matter as to why our government shut down tonight. Rachel played an audio recording of Republican Congressman Lynn Westmoreland from Georgia, speaking in September ahead of the 2010 elections. He quite bluntly tells his Republican audience that if the
Republicans won control of the House, they would shut down the government. It was a promise to be fulfilled.
She prefaced the audio recording by enumerating all of the accomplishments after the 2008 election when the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress. Then she pointed out that there had been Zero legislative accomplishments from Congress since the Republicans took control in 2010. Republicans campaign constantly on a platform that government is bad. The only reason they seek office is to destroy government from within.
Listen to the audio of Congressman Lynn Westmoreland warning his constituents that they were going to have to be strong anticipating that he would receive calls from them after the Republicans succeeded in shutting down the government: I didn't get my check. Daddy can't go to the VA. You know, the National Parks are closed. Well, at least he warned them about what was going to happen.
I am one of those furloughed, and I am of two minds about this. I dislike the thought of being paid for not working. Yet, I know that many in my office live paycheck to paycheck (I don't have that worry), so I would be glad for their sakes.
It seems like the members of Congress are trying to ease their conscious, plus planning a long, long shutdown.
If I were President Obama, I would veto it. It did not work out well for his signing the CR for paying the military, since it gave the GOP the idea of submitting 'piece meal' legislation.
I feel your pain..........although I am one of those forced to work with no clear picture of when we will get paid.........we are being held hostage so to speak as not only are we working without pay we are unable to take any type of leave........sick leave must be documented and you will be put in a furlough status and any other time off you are AWOL and will face administrative action. I lost out on a pretty expensive preplanned vacation, but others have been out due to medical procedures that were planned in advance, colonoscopy, cancer treatments etc.
This is an excerpt from our facility:
Subject: RE: GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN GUIDANCE
A number of you have requested that I clarify the rules around leave
"scheduled" "prior" to the shutdown. Thus, the following is provided:
When the shutdown began on 1 Oct, all scheduled leave for all employees
had to be cancelled on that day. We have some employees that were on approved
leave on 1 Oct and had been on approved leave prior to that date. Obviously you
cannot place an employee on AWOL for not showing up to work on 1 Oct if they had
NOT been informed that their leave was cancelled. Thus, those employees that
were on leave on 1 Oct and that leave was scheduled and approved prior to 1 Oct
are considered as being furloughed on 1 Oct and any day thereafter if you could
not reach them and inform them their leave was cancelled. Hopefully you were
able to make contact with those employees quickly and inform them that their
leave was cancelled.
We also have employees that had annual leave that was
approved/scheduled prior to 1 Oct but the annual leave was for dates/times later
in the month or even beyond. Those employees should have been told yesterday, 1
Oct, that their leave was "cancelled" until further notice. For example, say on
23 Sep you approved a leave slip for Henry to take annual leave on 4 Oct. On 1
Oct, Henry was informed that his annual leave for Friday, 4 Oct was cancelled.
If Henry decides to not show up for work on Friday as he was directed to do as
an exempt employee, then Henry is AWOL on Friday. You cannot place Henry on
furlough for Friday. The key to all of this is telling the employee their leave
is cancelled. "AFTER" you inform an employee that their annual leave is
cancelled, then you can NOT "furlough" the employee if he/she decides to not
report for work. At that point the employee would be "AWOL".
If you have employees that have any annual leave that was
approved/scheduled prior to 1 Oct, please ensure that you inform these employees
that their leave is cancelled until further notice. Once employees are provided
this information, they should report to work as directed.
Leave slips for "medical" reasons are also cancelled but the employee
is furloughed for the days/times he is unable to work for medical related
reasons.
I am one of those furloughed, and I am of two minds about this. I dislike the thought of being paid for not working. Yet, I know that many in my office live paycheck to paycheck (I don't have that worry), so I would be glad for their sakes.
It seems like the members of Congress are trying to ease their conscious, plus planning a long, long shutdown.
If I were President Obama, I would veto it. It did not work out well for his signing the CR for paying the military, since it gave the GOP the idea of submitting 'piece meal' legislation.
I am one of the essential or excepted workers who has to work during the shutdown (meteorologist) working weekends, nights whatever. And yes always tricky here as some here feel those not working shouldnt be paid...we might as well go home too....but then on the other hand I feel those furloughed would love to be working too but are told they cannot. So it isnt their fault so why should they get punished.
It goes to show this whole shutdown thing is a waste of time.
Read the Northern Virginia and D.C. forums to see what they really think of those that don't live in the Bubble.
You touch on a very sore topic with those folks. They have no idea of life 300 miles away and are quite content with their entitlement POV. Most of the furloughed govt 'employees' are in the DC area and is one of the reasons most aren't touched by it other than the shutdown of a few parks and whatnot. Sure, they might whine and cry about being sequestered from their overpaid positions but most of them do little for that money as it is. I can't wait to hear from some of them. I want then to lay out how many hours a day the actually work if responding. Not just merely breathing air but doing one's job.
The bubble insulated the area very well during the housing bubble burst. Sure, there were plenty of foreclosures but those would have foreclosed eventually anyway. I see another one on the horizon.
People in the DMV area can't conceive of the rest of the nation as they are the most important people in the world. They will let you know so. Go look and find out.
I feel your pain..........although I am one of those forced to work with no clear picture of when we will get paid.........we are being held hostage so to speak as not only are we working without pay we are unable to take any type of leave........sick leave must be documented and you will be put in a furlough status and any other time off you are AWOL and will face administrative action. I lost out on a pretty expensive preplanned vacation, but others have been out due to medical procedures that were planned in advance, colonoscopy, cancer treatments etc.
This is an excerpt from our facility:
Subject: RE: GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN GUIDANCE
A number of you have requested that I clarify the rules around leave
"scheduled" "prior" to the shutdown. Thus, the following is provided:
When the shutdown began on 1 Oct, all scheduled leave for all employees
had to be cancelled on that day. We have some employees that were on approved
leave on 1 Oct and had been on approved leave prior to that date. Obviously you
cannot place an employee on AWOL for not showing up to work on 1 Oct if they had
NOT been informed that their leave was cancelled. Thus, those employees that
were on leave on 1 Oct and that leave was scheduled and approved prior to 1 Oct
are considered as being furloughed on 1 Oct and any day thereafter if you could
not reach them and inform them their leave was cancelled. Hopefully you were
able to make contact with those employees quickly and inform them that their
leave was cancelled.
We also have employees that had annual leave that was
approved/scheduled prior to 1 Oct but the annual leave was for dates/times later
in the month or even beyond. Those employees should have been told yesterday, 1
Oct, that their leave was "cancelled" until further notice. For example, say on
23 Sep you approved a leave slip for Henry to take annual leave on 4 Oct. On 1
Oct, Henry was informed that his annual leave for Friday, 4 Oct was cancelled.
If Henry decides to not show up for work on Friday as he was directed to do as
an exempt employee, then Henry is AWOL on Friday. You cannot place Henry on
furlough for Friday. The key to all of this is telling the employee their leave
is cancelled. "AFTER" you inform an employee that their annual leave is
cancelled, then you can NOT "furlough" the employee if he/she decides to not
report for work. At that point the employee would be "AWOL".
If you have employees that have any annual leave that was
approved/scheduled prior to 1 Oct, please ensure that you inform these employees
that their leave is cancelled until further notice. Once employees are provided
this information, they should report to work as directed.
Leave slips for "medical" reasons are also cancelled but the employee
is furloughed for the days/times he is unable to work for medical related
reasons.
In the same boat at the office I work at. Leave had to be cancelled and told if you take it you cannot come back to work til shutdown is over. Now if the retroactive pay bill is passed and signed (likely to be done) then does that mean those on AL can take leave now and get paid (essential employees like myself). Scheduled to take our son to see his doctor about 9 hours away from our hometown in mid October and have leave scheduled for that. Wonder if I can still do that or not.
In the same boat at the office I work at. Leave had to be cancelled and told if you take it you cannot come back to work til shutdown is over. Now if the retroactive pay bill is passed and signed (likely to be done) then does that mean those on AL can take leave now and get paid (essential employees like myself). Scheduled to take our son to see his doctor about 9 hours away from our hometown in mid October and have leave scheduled for that. Wonder if I can still do that or not.
Dan
You can take off for medical reasons............but until a budget is passed your sick leave cannot be used, you will be marked as furloughed as a time code KE. My opinion DO NOT TAKE ANNUAL LEAVE.....as they will brand you AWOL
There seems to be a great debate amongst those in our facility that if you were off then the back pay bill would cover you.......but I think not as you had taken time off voluntarily and against the commands wishes.
Another excerpt from our facility:
Subject: FW: GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN GUIDANCE
For the many of you whom have inquired about the statement in item #5
below which states, "An employee's charge to furlough for being absent from work
during the shutdown can only be supported/substantiated by the reason they were
rendered UNABLE to report", the following is clarifying guidance.
The phrase "supported/substantiated by the reason" does not mean the
reason must be in "writing" for absences that are of 3 days or less in duration.
Supervisors must document the reason but the employee does not "have to" provide
written documentation if the absence is 3 days or less in duration. First and
foremost we must keep in mind that we cannot violate our negotiated union
agreement which states medical documentation may be required for absences
greater than 3 days, and we also can not violate law and regulations for FMLA
related situations which required medical documentation regardless of duration.
Therefore, if an employee calls in for a "non-FMLA" related reason such as being
"sick/ill" of a non-serious health condition nature and states they will not be
in for "the day", then they are furloughed and their absence is then supported
by the reason they provided which supervisors must document as being the reason
the employee was unable to report for duty. If
an employee's absence is greater than 3 days, then medical documentation may
be required or if the employee invokes their right to FMLA when they call in,
then medical documentation definitely is required.
You can take off for medical reasons............but until a budget is passed your sick leave cannot be used, you will be marked as furloughed as a time code KE. My opinion DO NOT TAKE ANNUAL LEAVE.....as they will brand you AWOL
There seems to be a great debate amongst those in our facility that if you were off then the back pay bill would cover you.......but I think not as you had taken time off voluntarily and against the commands wishes.
Another excerpt from our facility:
Subject: FW: GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN GUIDANCE
For the many of you whom have inquired about the statement in item #5
below which states, "An employee's charge to furlough for being absent from work
during the shutdown can only be supported/substantiated by the reason they were
rendered UNABLE to report", the following is clarifying guidance.
The phrase "supported/substantiated by the reason" does not mean the
reason must be in "writing" for absences that are of 3 days or less in duration.
Supervisors must document the reason but the employee does not "have to" provide
written documentation if the absence is 3 days or less in duration. First and
foremost we must keep in mind that we cannot violate our negotiated union
agreement which states medical documentation may be required for absences
greater than 3 days, and we also can not violate law and regulations for FMLA
related situations which required medical documentation regardless of duration.
Therefore, if an employee calls in for a "non-FMLA" related reason such as being
"sick/ill" of a non-serious health condition nature and states they will not be
in for "the day", then they are furloughed and their absence is then supported
by the reason they provided which supervisors must document as being the reason
the employee was unable to report for duty. If
an employee's absence is greater than 3 days, then medical documentation may
be required or if the employee invokes their right to FMLA when they call in,
then medical documentation definitely is required.
Thanks .... why I am happy to let our great ASA handle the T&A reports....
Charter guides received a message from the National Park Service this week informing them that they are not permitted to take clients fishing in Florida Bay until the feds get back to work. That means that more than 1,100 square miles of prime fishing is off limits between the southern tip of the mainland to the Keys until further notice.
Remember that this spiteful tyrant of a President, who when he won the Democratic Primary said, "This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow, and our planet began to heal."
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President Temper Tantrum Closes Ocean
