Uncertainty about working Monday

[monkeybug]

Have heard active military will be paid

I don't think so. My husband is active duty and was told that if the shutdown happens their next paychecks will only have 8 days of pay, they still have to go to work everyday of course.
We aren't too worried because we have savings and will be okay as long as the shutdown doesn't last too long. There are a lot of younger guys/girls who work with my husband that are very worried though (and rightfully so), they make so little to begin with, and 8 days of pay won't pay the bills and put food on your table when 15 barely does.

 

[Christine]

I don't think so. My husband is active duty and was told that if the shutdown happens their next paychecks will only have 8 days of pay, they still have to go to work everyday of course.
We aren't too worried because we have savings and will be okay as long as the shutdown doesn't last too long. There are a lot of younger guys/girls who work with my husband that are very worried though (and rightfully so), they make so little to begin with, and 8 days of pay won't pay the bills and put food on your table when 15 barely does.

Same here for some non-military folks. We have a lot of younger employees who are just starting out with new families, new homes, and they live paycheck to paycheck. I'm happy NOT to be in that position anymore but I feel for them.

 

[doxdogy]

I work as a government contractor (on one of the worse type of government contracts out there) and we have already been told not to come to work. We also have to use all our vacation time first and then we would go on unpaid leave. We have also been told we can't use sick days as those are for doctors appointments only.

Also we will not accrue any sick days during the shutdown, our vacation accrual may or may not be affected and our health benefits will be affected.

 

[Christine]

I work as a government contractor (on one of the worse type of government contracts out there) and we have already been told not to come to work. We also have to use all our vacation time first and then we would go on unpaid leave. We have also been told we can't use sick days as those are for doctors appointments only.

Also we will not accrue any sick days during the shutdown, our vacation accrual may or may not be affected and our health benefits will be affected.

Well, you are the first contractor I've heard of now that will be shut down. I have several contractor friends and they have all been told that they will be working, even though their government counterparts are not.

One of my friends works for a company that is not quite sure yet, however, they will be giving their employees 5 days of administrative leave. After that, they will have to use their vacation time. I thought that was a nice gesture on the part of the company to pitch in some paid time.

 

[doxdogy]

Wow, that is a great gesture on the part of the company. Sadly, the company I work for would never even consider that as an option. It would cut into their profits and that is not going to happen.

Well, you are the first contractor I've heard of now that will be shut down. I have several contractor friends and they have all been told that they will be working, even though their government counterparts are not.

One of my friends works for a company that is not quite sure yet, however, they will be giving their employees 5 days of administrative leave. After that, they will have to use their vacation time. I thought that was a nice gesture on the part of the company to pitch in some paid time.

 

[jaminmd]

It makes me sick. If this really happens, I hope to join others in listing and reviewing exactly who in congress gets paid. They will not be getting our vote in the next round of elections if all military people are not paid continuously.

Rep. Steny Hoyer was on the news this morning & was questioned about this. He explained that it is written in the constitution that congress gets paid. How nice for them.

DH is federal law enforcement so he's stuck working without pay as well.

 

[bdcp]

I'm a Fed employee and DH is a Fed contractor. We were told to show up Monday am and if there is shutdown we would be sent home after 1/2 day and we would be paid for that 1/2 day. DH is on what is considered a "funded" contract so even though the company won't be paid during a shutdown, he will be working and will get paid and the company will get paid later. We, as gov employees will probably be retroactively paid. Fortunately, we have savings so my income wouldn't be missed for a few months. DH also makes more than I do. We really only pay 3 bills out of my check. Personally, I think IF there is a shutdown, it wouldn't be for more than a week or two. I could use that time off. My concern is for co-workers who are single parents or even single income families who might not have enough saved because they have no wiggle room.

BTW, I am not at work today. I don't work Fridays, so please do not think I post on the internet from work. I have limited access to the internet for work purposes, but someone will invariably think we're online all day which we are not. We have our own internal net that is for work and not part of the www.

 

[bdcp]

I don't know...it's hard to believe that the govt will really shut down. Someone will compromise somewhere at the last minute. I can believe our elected officials will allow this to happen. They won't.

You do realize it happened in 1995, right? It can, will it? I don't know, but believe me, it can. I was a SAHM in 1995 so I've never dealt with it, but I could use a few days off next week.

 

[bdcp]

I read something about this. In the government, you cannot work for free. If they are working on a budget they have to be paid. I do think they should be fined, at some point, for not meeting a deadline.

Non-essential workers who show up and work are breaking Federal law and can be arrested/fired. Essential workers will be working for no pay until the budget passes. Our guidance is Very, Very clear on the subject of anyone showing up for work who has been told not to.

 

[Magic Mom]

It makes me sick. If this really happens, I hope to join others in listing and reviewing exactly who in congress gets paid. They will not be getting our vote in the next round of elections if all military people are not paid continuously.

It makes me sick too. If the little guys don't get paid, then neither should the people making the decisions. Luckily we have enough available savings to last for a bit, but what about the very young soldiers with families?

 

[Christine]

Non-essential workers who show up and work are breaking Federal law and can be arrested/fired. Essential workers will be working for no pay until the budget passes. Our guidance is Very, Very clear on the subject of anyone showing up for work who has been told not to.

I was talking about Congress. One of the reasons they get paid during a shutdown is because they are still working. While we all are irritated by their inability to come to terms here, and the desire is there for them to "lose pay too", technically we can't do that because they are working on the budget.

 

[happygirl]

That is crazy, the military won't get paid!!! That makes me so MAD

 

[shirleyb]

You do realize it happened in 1995, right? It can, will it? I don't know, but believe me, it can. I was a SAHM in 1995 so I've never dealt with it, but I could use a few days off next week.

Yes, it happened in 1995 and again in 1996 so it can definitely happen.

 

[punkin]

DH is in an interesting position. His agency is funded differently so the entire agency will still be working, however their paychecks are processed through a different agency, most of which will shut down. They claim he will get paid on time but I have my doubts at this point.

 

[Magic Mom]

I was talking about Congress. One of the reasons they get paid during a shutdown is because they are still working. While we all are irritated by their inability to come to terms here, and the desire is there for them to "lose pay too", technically we can't do that because they are working on the budget.

The military are all working....Some will even be in battle.

Somehow I think that warrants pay more than sitting in D.C. arguing about a budget, all the while worrying about your next election (and I'm not refering to anyone of them in particular...they are all doing it)

 

[wvjules]

My husband has also been told he has to show up at work on Monday to be told if he has to go home. I guess it's a little thing in the midst of a big problem, but it bugs me that he may have to spend gas money driving to work to be sent home.

That's what the civilian employees (not sure about the military) here have been told as well.

I work as a government contractor (on one of the worse type of government contracts out there) and we have already been told not to come to work. We also have to use all our vacation time first and then we would go on unpaid leave. We have also been told we can't use sick days as those are for doctors appointments only.

I am a contractor as well. Last year during the blizzards we had to use our vacation time then LWOP. If we were included in the shutdown it would be like that again.

Well, you are the first contractor I've heard of now that will be shut down. I have several contractor friends and they have all been told that they will be working, even though their government counterparts are not.

That's me. Our contract has been pre-paid up through the end of the month so I'm working as long as it doesn't extend past April 30.

I believe that this shutdown WILL happen but it will only be for about a week.

 

[Christine]

The military are all working....Some will even be in battle.

Somehow I think that warrants pay more than sitting in D.C. arguing about a budget, all the while worrying about your next election (and I'm not refering to anyone of them in particular...they are all doing it)

But the military WILL be paid, just like Congress. Both the military and Congress will continue to earn pay through the furlough; however, because payroll offices are shut down, paychecks won't be processed. When they are back up and running both Congress and military personnel will be paid. As will essential civil servants. So in that regard, anyone working through the furlough will be treated equally.

 

[Magic Mom]

But the military WILL be paid, just like Congress. Both the military and Congress will continue to earn pay through the furlough; however, because payroll offices are shut down, paychecks won't be processed. When they are back up and running both Congress and military personnel will be paid. As will essential civil servants. So in that regard, anyone working through the furlough will be treated equally.

They will be paid eventually, but not on time. That's pretty ****** to do to jr enlisted soldiers, especially those in combat areas. "Hey PVT Smith, I know you live paycheck to paycheck and you have a family to feed and you are in the middle of a battle in Afghanistan, but no pay for you for a few weeks. "

 

[punkin]

They will be paid eventually, but not on time. That's pretty ****** to do to jr enlisted soldiers, especially those in combat areas. "Hey PVT Smith, I know you live paycheck to paycheck and you have a family to feed and you are in the middle of a battle in Afghanistan, but no pay for you for a few weeks. "

It's pretty awful to do that to anybody. There are lots of Federal workers who will be working and not getting paid until after the shutdown and many of them also live paycheck to paycheck. It's a bad situation all around.

 

[Acklander]

Those that work, will get paid eventually. Even those that don't work will probably get paid eventually. (during the last shut downs they added those costs into the budget) so I've never understood the point of shutting down, since the same money is spent anyway.
Several of the congressmen tried to put in a provision to suspend pay of congress while this happened, but that was shown to be unconstitutional so it didn't go anywhere.