Government shut down will affect you

[Swimalie]

I also worry about my neighbors. We are in a neighborhood heavy with Federal employees. Most of them would be furloughed. Also all the local businesses that depend on them to spend money will be devastated as well. Things will not be fine around here if there's a shutdown. People who don't even work for the government will be hugely affected.

Same here. Most of my neighbors are Fed employees. I know one will probably be essential (CIA) but the rest will be furloughed. Our local economy will surely suffer and it doesn't need that.

I just read that employees can't even use their Fed issued Blackberries during the shut down. That is how my husband gets his work emails when he's not in the office. I wonder how he will know to return if he can't get on the Blackberry. I'd hate for him to have to rely on the "news" to know.

 

[punkin]

Same here. Most of my neighbors are Fed employees. I know one will probably be essential (CIA) but the rest will be furloughed. Our local economy will surely suffer and it doesn't need that.

I just read that employees can't even use their Fed issued Blackberries during the shut down. That is how my husband gets his work emails when he's not in the office. I wonder how he will know to return if he can't get on the Blackberry. I'd hate for him to have to rely on the "news" to know.

Actually from what I hear, furloughed employees are not even allowed to check their work emails. That would be against the law too.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

This would/will be bad for my area too ~ IRS is huge here and we have an Air Force base.

 

[Swimalie]

Actually from what I hear, furloughed employees are not even allowed to check their work emails. That would be against the law too.

I know. So they will waste money having someone call each employee. They could start saving by just sending an email!

 

[wvjules]

Same here. Most of my neighbors are Fed employees. I know one will probably be essential (CIA) but the rest will be furloughed. Our local economy will surely suffer and it doesn't need that.

I just read that employees can't even use their Fed issued Blackberries during the shut down. That is how my husband gets his work emails when he's not in the office. I wonder how he will know to return if he can't get on the Blackberry. I'd hate for him to have to rely on the "news" to know.

I think it will be widely known when the employees can return to work.

And, yes no access to any work informaiton. They are saying to turn off the phones/blackberries as well.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

I also worry about my neighbors. We are in a neighborhood heavy with Federal employees. Most of them would be furloughed. Also all the local businesses that depend on them to spend money will be devastated as well. Things will not be fine around here if there's a shutdown. People who don't even work for the government will be hugely affected.

This is exactly why eveyone should be concerned about a pending shutdown. It does not just affect federal workers. It will affect everyone.

 

[Swimalie]

I think it will be widely known when the employees can return to work.

And, yes no access to any work informaiton. They are saying to turn off the phones/blackberries as well.

My husband travels a lot for work. He will need to know more than just when he can return to work. He has a trip coming up soon and will need to contact the other parties to cancel if necessary. This would require him to access his work email and use his blackberry to call them. Hard to do if he's not supposed to use it.

 

[wvjules]

My husband travels a lot for work. He will need to know more than just when he can return to work. He has a trip coming up soon and will need to contact the other parties to cancel if necessary. This would require him to access his work email and use his blackberry to call them. Hard to do if he's not supposed to use it.

A lot of people are in that position. There really is no easy answer except to pay attention to the news. His superiors will probably find out that way too. Virtually everyone will know at the same time.

 

[Swimalie]

A lot of people are in that position. There really is no easy answer except to pay attention to the news. His superiors will probably find out that way too. Virtually everyone will know at the same time.

The news won't have his travel plans. That's the problem he will run in to very soon. He just got back yesterday from Montana and the next trip is already scheduled and booked.

 

[wvjules]

The news won't have his travel plans. That's the problem he will run in to very soon. He just got back yesterday from Montana and the next trip is already scheduled and booked.

I guess I'm not explaining myself very well. No one will know when this is over until it is actually over. 90% of the people I work with travel and they are all in the same boat. No one will know anything until it is over. Until it is over, EVERYONE in that position is in limbo. Best to try to get as much worked out and plan for contengincies before midnight tomorrow night because after that everyone will be in the dark. Technially, he won't even be able to call and canel his plans while the furlough is ongoing.

 

[melissac]

I work for the VA and have not heard anything from the powers above but when shutdown happened before VA employees worked but didn't get paid for a month. They did get all the back pay but for our family that is a long time without pay. We finally have gotten bills paid off and back on the right track and this could put us again in a bad spot. Do you think the people we owe money to really care if we don't get pay. I wish the post office would shut down to then bills won't come to peoples house so there would be less worries.

 

[pepperderr]

I wish the post office would shut down so then bills won't come to peoples house so there would be less worries.

I like that idea

 

[vicki_c]

Should it happen, I believe on Monday many furloughed employees may be requested to report to their work site and turn in their electronics. I read that in the paper this morning. There's supposed to be an "orderly shutdown," not just everyone running out the door. How that plays into the illegality of working, I don't really know.

We have just directed some of our contractor employees to return home from overseas immediately and still have heard nothing official from our Government customers in the "iffy" cases. Those that know they will be able to work on Monday have already told us, but we have others that aren't in that situation. Stressful day all around, and not likely to get better.

 

[wvjules]

I like that idea

Bills would still be due whether you got the notice in the mail or not.

 

[wvjules]

Should it happen, I believe on Monday many furloughed employees may be requested to report to their work site and turn in their electronics. I read that in the paper this morning. There's supposed to be an "orderly shutdown," not just everyone running out the door. How that plays into the illegality of working, I don't really know.

We have just directed some of our contractor employees to return home from overseas immediately and still have heard nothing official from our Government customers in the "iffy" cases. Those that know they will be able to work on Monday have already told us, but we have others that aren't in that situation. Stressful day all around, and not likely to get better.

We got an email from our commander that all employees are to report to work Monday to be told whether they are exempt or not. I wonder if they will be required to turn in phones at that point?

 

[beaucoup]

Starting to think a soldier not only writes a check to his country for up to & including his life, but also agrees to work for a government I.O.U. instead of a paycheck.

 

[rubato]

We won't be personally affected. DH is a mailman, and is paid by stamp sales, not government funding. We have no trips planned, so we're good.

I just feel so bad for everyone. We have lots of military and IRS friends and family.

What a big mess!!!!

 

[Swimalie]

I guess I'm not explaining myself very well. No one will know when this is over until it is actually over. 90% of the people I work with travel and they are all in the same boat. No one will know anything until it is over. Until it is over, EVERYONE in that position is in limbo. Best to try to get as much worked out and plan for contengincies before midnight tomorrow night because after that everyone will be in the dark. Technially, he won't even be able to call and canel his plans while the furlough is ongoing.

You explained yourself. And yes, there are others out there in the same boat. Guess the people in Colorado will be waiting for he and his partner to show and yet he won't. And the money the govt spent on his plane ticket and hotel will be wasted along with all the others in this position. Sad that they can't access things like their email so the govt doesn't have to waste more money on wasted trips. We all know airlines won't refund the ticket and if he can't call to cancel the hotel, they will charge the govt as well.

 

[Hoodie]

We got an email from our commander that all employees are to report to work Monday to be told whether they are exempt or not. I wonder if they will be required to turn in phones at that point?

OPM JUST posted some general guidelines (about 20 minutes ago):

If there is a lapse in appropriations, during the employee's next scheduled work day (i.e.,2 Saturday or Sunday for weekend employees; Monday for all other employees), an agency shall have its non-excepted employees perform -for up to a half-day (e.g., up to four hours) -such "orderly shutdown" activities as are needed for the agency's implementation of its contingency plan (e.g., turning in equipment if required). Non-excepted employees
who are scheduled to telework on their next scheduled work day may perfonn these shutdown activities from their telework location, if an existing telework agreement is in place. In addition, agencies at their discretion may allow other employees to conduct shutdown activities from a remote location, even without an existing telework agreement, if the nature ofthe employees' shutdown activities are de minimis (i.e., can be completed in approximately 15 minutes). For example, such activities would include receiving and acknowledging receipt of an electronic furlough notice and adjusting voicemail and email to reflect current work status. All other non-excepted employees will be expected to report to work on their next scheduled work day to carry out orderly shutdown activities.

If I'm to be furloughed, I plan on making an argument that my shutdown activities can be deemed de mimimis so I don't have to drive all the way into work to turn on my "out of office" notice.

 

[pepperderr]

Not sure what DH will do. He has not be told his leave is cancle or anything. He is supposed to leave Sunday night and get home Monday. What will they make him do, drive right back? I don't want him getting in trouble that's for sure. Maybe they will tell him one way or the other on Saturday. I hope!