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Federal Daily News

Some feds see bright side to furloughs

Some federal workers are seeing a potential bright side to being furloughed, Government Executive reports.

While most agencies are not expected to hand down the scheduled 22 days of furloughs consecutively, some feds have noted that the mandatory off-duty days would be an ideal time for an extended vacation or to collect unemployment—law states that more than 22 days would classify as a layoff, according to the report.

Others are looking forward to the possibility of receiving back pay for the furloughed days -- in 1995 Congress voted to approve more than $44 million to retroactively pay feds who were affected by a 21-day government shutdown, the report notes.


 

Reader comments

Wed, Mar 27, 2013 FEDUP DC

Maybe everyone that should have retired 50 years ago and never did will leave now. The doors can later be opened for the young people that need to pay back student loans and find work. For now its full of people that wont stop working but are wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy past retirement eligibility.

Wed, Mar 27, 2013

I contacted our state unemployment office and in fact in many states being unemployed one day a week that is not of your own choosing does enable you to apply for unemployment benefits. All states are a little different but my son-in-law in Kansas works in the aircraft industry and they frequently have work draw downs where they only work four days a week and are eligible for unemployment for the day they are "laid off" even though they are still employed by the company. He is the one that informed me of this potential option. So it is worth looking into. As far as us being good citizens and not taking unemployment if we are eligible when congress quits voting handsome pay raises for themselves and taking lavish taxpayer funded trips - I will consider it.

Wed, Mar 20, 2013 Kristina S.D. California

Oh Congress, why do you get so much money while those of us that actually grind get pennies on a dollar? With the Furlough my option is pay rent & starve or eat & be homeless. I have already informed my dept. that my son and I will be living at work. Try and tell me I have to be homeless while I work...I dare someone. Working for the Government is a *** joke, I cannot wait to escape. After enduring 4 years of emotional abuse, being the only female & civilian, I am done. I hope this place swallows itself whole. Buy-Bye Uncle Sam...Don't look to those you *** over to help when the collapse comes.

Tue, Mar 12, 2013 Watchdog

There is one and only one way that FEDS would get their pay returned after this furlough starts. Congress would have to purposefully budget /decreases/ in spending from one section of the overall budget, like for instance, FEMA, and purposefully earmark the equivalent amount of money to FEDS for back-salaries. [But don't suggest, for example, that Congress not give grants/loans to Israel or Pakistan. Those items are controlled by old, old government-to-government agreements.]

Tue, Mar 12, 2013 Alex, VA

We are a deficit-oriented economy. We were made a great nation on borrowed money. The commenters sound hurt. Of course! If we are going to "reduce the deficit" then we aren't going to have the same amount of money available to pay FEDERAL WORKERS that we had in the past (read: just last year). [NB: Do you know who pays for unemployment? Your boss. For FEDS, our boss is the same boss that needs to reduce the deficit for this year by $85B. Of course they don't want to pay unemployment. They'd have to get that $8B in savings somewhere else if they paid us unemployment.]

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