FEDERAL CAMPAIGN CHARITY RESUMES AFTER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ENDS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Combined Federal Campaign Resumes As Shutdown Ends
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2013 - The annual Combined Federal Campaign charity drive, interrupted by the 16-day federal government shutdown, has resumed.

Susan A. Yarwood, director of human resources for Washington Headquarters Services, which manages the Defense Department's CFC participation, announced the resumption in a memo to all DOD personnel.

According to the campaign's website, CFC is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with almost 200 CFC campaigns throughout the country and overseas raising millions of dollars each year. Pledges made by federal civilian, postal and military donors during the Sept. 1 through Dec. 15 campaign season support eligible nonprofit organizations that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world

SECRETARY OF DEFENCE HAGEL'S MESSAGE TO DEFENSE DEPARTMENT PERSONELL

FROM:  DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Message to Department of Defense Personnel from Secretary Hagel on Reopening the Government

To All DoD Personnel:


Today the Department of Defense is resuming normal operations across the world, now that Congress has finally restored funding for DoD and the rest of the federal government. This manufactured crisis was an unwelcome and unnecessary distraction from our critical work of keeping the country safe.



I know that each of your lives has been disrupted and affected in different ways. I regret the impact that this shutdown had on so many of our civilian personnel, particularly those who I was previously unable to recall from emergency furlough.



Starting today, we will be welcoming all of our civilians back to their normal duties. To those returning from furlough: know that the work you perform is incredibly valued by your military teammates and by me. I appreciate your professionalism and your patience during this difficult period of time, which came on top of last summer's sequestration-related furloughs. Your managers will have more information about this, but I can assure you that you will be paid in full for the time you were furloughed during the shutdown.



Now that this latest budget crisis has come to an end, we have an opportunity to return to focusing on the critical work of this department. Unfortunately, Congress did not end the budget uncertainty that has cast such a shadow of uncertainty over this department for much of the year. In the months ahead, they will have an opportunity to do so. My hope is that they will realize that these kinds of crises do great damage to our people, our national security, our economy, and America's standing in the world. Congress has a responsibility to govern, and it must fulfill those basic responsibilities in order to keep our country strong.

DOD SAYS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS COULD HELP SOME FURLOUGHED CIVILIANS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Unemployment Benefits May Help Some Furloughed DOD Civilians

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2013 - On the 10th day of the partial government shutdown, DOD civilians excluded by law from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's Oct. 7 recall to work of thousands of fellow employees still await an end to the political standoff that sent them home and stopped their paychecks Oct. 1.

Hagel said Oct. 5 that the department tried to "exempt as many DOD civilian personnel as possible" from furloughs and will continue to try to bring all civilian employees back to work as soon as possible.

"Ultimately," he added, "the surest way to end these damaging and irresponsible furloughs and to enable us to fulfill our mission as a department is for Congress to pass a budget and restore funds for the entire federal government."

According to a Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service reference guide called "Pay and Leave during the Fiscal Year 2014 Shutdown Furlough," employees furloughed Oct. 1 and not recalled to work will receive regular pay and allowances for hours worked through Sept. 30. They'll also get a partial paycheck for the pay period including Oct. 1-5.

DOD civilians will stay in nonpay, nonduty status until recalled to duty. If they are in nonpay, nonduty status on the days before and after Columbus Day, they won't receive pay at that time for the holiday.

Congress must pass legislation to restore pay and allowances for all days spent in furlough status before any employee goes back into pay status.  If such legislation is passed, employees will be paid for the time they spent conducting shutdown activities on Oct. 1 but they won't get that pay until a 2014 appropriation is approved for the department. At that time they'll receive pay for the Columbus Day holiday.

Furlough affects leave accrual, according to the reference guide. In a separate furlough earlier this year triggered by the budget sequester, most employees were ordered to take six unpaid days, or 48 hours, off work. During the current round of furloughs brought on by the government shutdown, when employees reach a total of 10 furlough days this month, or 80 hours, on or around Oct. 4, they'll lose the sick leave and annual leave they would have earned during the pay period.

Once an employee reaches 80 hours of nonpay time during a calendar year, leave is no longer accrued. A new 80-hour threshold begins the following pay period.

For individuals or families who are struggling because they're not working and not getting paid, some help may be available through state unemployment compensation agencies.

According to a fact sheet on unemployment insurance for federal workers, the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees, or UCFE, program is administered by state unemployment insurance agencies. In general, eligibility is determined by the state where an employee is assigned to duty.

Furloughed DOD civilians may apply on or after the first day they're furloughed and put in nonpay status. Furloughed employees should be eligible as long as they meet all other state eligibility factors, according to the fact sheet.

To file claims, DOD civilians can contact the unemployment insurance agency in the state where they work. Such agencies usually have websites, online forms and telephone numbers to call for information or to submit applications by phone.

Employees may be asked to provide a form SF-8 to verify an agency mailing address or a form SF-50 to verify wages. If these documents are unavailable, the state may request proof of wages such as earnings and leave statements or last year's W-2. The state may also request an affidavit certifying that the employee is not working because of the furlough and to verify wages.

Amounts paid vary according to prior earnings. Most states pay a maximum of 26 weeks of regular benefits. Once the shutdown ends and employees have returned to work, regardless of whether they have received paychecks, they are no longer eligible for benefits.

Some states require applicants to serve a waiting week, the fact sheet says. This means that after a claim is approved, the first week for which individuals are entitled to benefits is an unpaid week.

Most states issue payments to eligible individuals within 14-21 days after the claim is approved.

On Oct. 5, the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act passed the House by a vote of 407-0. The Senate hasn't yet taken action on the bill but if they do and President Barack Obama signs it into law, furloughed federal employees will receive back pay for the time they've been out of work once the shutdown ends. Any lost leave would also will be restored.

According to the fact sheet, if Congress passes legislation that retroactively provides for the payment of salary, states generally require repayment of unemployment benefits paid out. States will advise affected claimants if benefits are overpaid, the fact sheet says, and provide repayment options.

FEDERAL CAMPAIGN PLACED ON HOLD DUE TO GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Combined Federal Campaign Placed on Hold
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2013 - The Combined Federal Campaign has been placed on hold while the federal government shutdown continues, according to a Pentagon memo.

Susan A. Yarwood, the human resources director with Washington Headquarters Services, announced that CFC activities in the continental United States, apart from on-going employee contributions, are indefinitely suspended.

The campaign is a one-stop shop for federal employees to make donations to thousands of charities through automatic payroll deductions. Last year, federal workers contributed $258 million via the CFC.

The 2013 CFC campaign started September 5. When the partial government shutdown hit on October 1, officials determined that the program would have to be suspended.

"Upon legal review, these activities are not excepted from furlough nor are they appropriate activities under the Pay Our Military Act," Yarwood wrote in the memo dated Oct. 9. "Until such time as we have a continuing resolution or congressionally approved appropriation, please postpone all CFC events, training, and fund-raisers."

During the hiatus, military and civilian members can still donate to the charities of their choice via the MyPay option.

Officials say the campaign is prepared to restart quickly once the shutdown is over.

QUESTIONS RAISED OVER DEFENSE EMPLOYEE FURLOUGHS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Furlough Raises Questions on Civilian Leave, Pay

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2013 - Only those Defense Department civilians recalled from furlough under the Pay Our Military Act may take annual and sick leave, a Pentagon spokesman said here today.

"Employees who remain on furlough are in a nonpay, nonduty status, so there is no leave to take," Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen explained.

So a civilian employee who had leave planned and is now furloughed can still take that vacation. It will not count as leave as long as the furlough lasts.

Once the president signs an appropriation or Congress passes a continuing resolution, furloughed employees will report back to work. Further legislation is necessary for employees to receive retroactive pay for days lost to the shutdown. If that happens, employees will be paid for the furlough time, and will not be charged for any leave that had been approved for days that became furlough days.

On DOD civilian pay, the situation is a bit different. The next civilian pay date is Oct. 11, and under the Pay Our Military Act, Defense Department civilians will receive paychecks. Excepted employees – those who continued to work – will receive the full 80 hours of pay. Those furloughed will receive 48 hours of pay for the pay period covered by that payday, up and to and including Sept. 30. Furloughed employees will receive pay for the four hours they worked Oct. 1 to implement the orderly shutdown once there a new appropriation or continuing resolution is in effect.

DOD civilian employees called back to work Oct. 7 will receive their paychecks for the current pay period Oct. 25.