Furloughs … all you ever wanted to know

Government shutdown?  At this point, it’s anyone’s guess.

As lawmakers prepare to reconvene after the Presidents Day recess, word of another short-term continuing resolution to head off a shutdown already has begun to circulate.

But if a shutdown does occur – and considering that it’s been about 15 years since the last time a budget stalemate (or political brinkmanship) forced a shutdown of the federal government -- many feds might be a bit rusty on its exact implications at the individual level.

All you “essential’ employees pretty much know who you are already, so you probably need not worry.

But a few basic questions about pay, benefits, creditable time, and other considerations might be forming in the minds of the many “non-essentials” out there as the expiration of the current CR draws closer.

We noticed today that the Civilian Personnel Management Service has posted a pretty decent furlough FAQ (from 2008) on its home page that DoD employees -- and other feds, for that matter -- might find pretty informative.

Another place to get answers is the “furlough page” on the Office of Personnel Management Web site. While geared more from the agency side, this long, scrolling document covers 88 specific questions concerning furloughs.

Never hurts to be prepared.