1. Administrative Furlough Update March 22 &
Questions & Answers from March 19 Town Hall
Below are a list of questions posed by employees at the Tuesday, March 19 Joint
Base Myer-Henderson Hall Administrative Furlough Town Hall meeting. Subject matter
experts have provided answers.
In addition, a Department of Defense (DoD) update came out Friday, March 22. In
this update, the Office of the Secretary of Defense directed that furlough letters to all
civilian employees be delayed two weeks (a delay to about April 2 rather than March 22)
while DoD analyzes Continuing Resolution (CR) legislation impact. The CR legislation
could have some impact on the overall number of furlough days, but no decisions have
been reached on the matter, especially since the legislation has not been signed into
law. The number of furlough days remains at 22 for fiscal year 2013. As soon as any
change to the number of days/hours of furlough for FY 13, we will bring you the updates
here, in email and on Facebook.
Qs and As
Q1: I am ready to retire. Will the furlough affect me?
A1: Since CPAC does not provide guidance on retirement issues, employees must
contact ABC-C for all benefits-related questions. Contact ABC-C (Army Benefits Center-
Civilian) at https://www.abc.army.mil and 1-877-276-9287. An instruction on the website
states: “The possible 22 days of discontinuous furlough will have no impact on
retirement. You must have more than six months of leave without pay (LWOP) in a
calendar year for your creditable civilian service or your high-3 average salary to be
affected.”
Q2: Will we still accumulate annual and sick leave during furlough?
A2: During administrative furlough, employees will lose annual and sick leave for each
80 hours furloughed. If the furlough lasts from April 23 through Sept. 21, 2013 (22
weeks or 176 hours), employees will lose two periods (160 hours furloughed) of sick
and annual leave.
Q3: Can I volunteer to take my furlough time all at once, say, for 22 days in a row?
A3: You can talk to the bargaining unit about that; union negotiations have not been
finalized. But, in the language we have from IMCOM, the furlough is to be expended
nonconsecutive days. So talk to your union representative for a final answer on that
question. Also, it could be that the furlough does not run from April 23 through Sept. 21,
but ceases before 22 weeks.
Q4: How about unemployment insurance? Can we draw unemployment during the
furlough?
A4: You will have to check with the state (where you work rather than where you live),
but there may be partial unemployment insurance available for you.

2. Q5: When should we begin talking to and making arrangements with those we owe
money to? How long do you think it would take to negotiate some assistance?
A5: Now is the time to talk to debtors. Now is the time to pull out the furlough calculator
and see where you stand and how you will need to work through this.
Q6: I am a reservist and will go on Annual Training (AT) for two weeks this summer. Will
furlough affect me?
A6: Yes, during furlough, you will have four days of military leave and one day of
furlough during a week.
Q7: I am off every Monday and Friday and work on the remaining days. How will I know
what day to be furloughed if Monday and Friday are my usual days off?
A7: Work with your supervisor to arrange scheduling for your furlough day.
Q8: How will TSP be affected?
A8: For Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) information, see a fact sheet at
https://www.tsp.gov/PDF/forspubs/oc95-4.pdf. You may change TSP contributions at
any time on Employee Benefits Information System (EBIS) at
https://www.abc.army.mil/EBIS/EBISInfo.htm.
Q9: Can we write a letter about sequestration to our Congressman?
A9: Yes, you can write a letter as a private citizen; you cannot suggest the letter is
official and on the behalf of the Army or JBM-HH.