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| Hagel announces 11-day furloughs for defence workers as sequester bites | Hagel announces 11-day furloughs for defence workers as sequester bites |
| (4 months later) | |
| The bulk of the 800,000 civilian workers employed by the Department of Defense will be forced to lose 11 paid work days this year, the biggest impact yet of the sequester budget cuts. | The bulk of the 800,000 civilian workers employed by the Department of Defense will be forced to lose 11 paid work days this year, the biggest impact yet of the sequester budget cuts. |
| Chuck Hagel, the defence secretary, was due to make the announcement on Tuesday in an address to workers in Virginia. He was also expected to discuss this and other issues, such as Syria, with President Barack Obama at the White House. | Chuck Hagel, the defence secretary, was due to make the announcement on Tuesday in an address to workers in Virginia. He was also expected to discuss this and other issues, such as Syria, with President Barack Obama at the White House. |
| In a letter to defence workers, Hagel wrote that the furloughs will begin on 8 July. He wrote: | In a letter to defence workers, Hagel wrote that the furloughs will begin on 8 July. He wrote: |
| "After extensive review of all options with the DoD's senior military and civilian leadership on how we address this budget crisis, today I am announcing that I have decided to direct furloughs of up to 11 days for most of the department's civilian personnel. I have made this decision very reluctantly, because I know that the furloughs will disrupt lives and impact DoD operations. I recognise the significant hardship this places on you and your families. | "After extensive review of all options with the DoD's senior military and civilian leadership on how we address this budget crisis, today I am announcing that I have decided to direct furloughs of up to 11 days for most of the department's civilian personnel. I have made this decision very reluctantly, because I know that the furloughs will disrupt lives and impact DoD operations. I recognise the significant hardship this places on you and your families. |
| "After required notifications, we will begin the furlough period on 8 July at the rate of one furlough day per week for most personnel. We plan to continue these furloughs through the end of the current fiscal year. If our budgetary situation permits us to end furloughs early, I would strongly prefer to do so. That is a decision I will make later in the year." | "After required notifications, we will begin the furlough period on 8 July at the rate of one furlough day per week for most personnel. We plan to continue these furloughs through the end of the current fiscal year. If our budgetary situation permits us to end furloughs early, I would strongly prefer to do so. That is a decision I will make later in the year." |
| The $85bn in sequester cuts across almost all US government departments, the result of a standoff between Congress and the White House, initially had little impact. But the White House warned in March that the effects of the sequester would kick in slowly. Congress has enacted exceptions for food inspectors and, after flight disruptions, for air traffic controllers. But until now, for most of the population, the cuts have seemed distant. | The $85bn in sequester cuts across almost all US government departments, the result of a standoff between Congress and the White House, initially had little impact. But the White House warned in March that the effects of the sequester would kick in slowly. Congress has enacted exceptions for food inspectors and, after flight disruptions, for air traffic controllers. But until now, for most of the population, the cuts have seemed distant. |
| The Pentagon is one of the hardest-hit departments, given the size of the defense budget, and Hagel originally warned workers to brace themselves for furloughs of more than 20 days. Hagel tried to balance the budget to avoid any furloughs but was defeated by the scale of the Pentagon cuts, which amount to $41bn. Although he can claim to have trimmed the number of furloughs down to 11 days, the forced furloughs will play havoc with family budgets and create uncertainty about household bills, from mortgage payments to university tuition fees. | The Pentagon is one of the hardest-hit departments, given the size of the defense budget, and Hagel originally warned workers to brace themselves for furloughs of more than 20 days. Hagel tried to balance the budget to avoid any furloughs but was defeated by the scale of the Pentagon cuts, which amount to $41bn. Although he can claim to have trimmed the number of furloughs down to 11 days, the forced furloughs will play havoc with family budgets and create uncertainty about household bills, from mortgage payments to university tuition fees. |
| About 15% of the department's 800,000 workers, including shipyard workers, will be exempt from the forced furloughs. The navy argued that it would be more expensive to implement the furloughs than to continue with planned ships and repairs. Civilian staff working in war zones will also be excluded. | About 15% of the department's 800,000 workers, including shipyard workers, will be exempt from the forced furloughs. The navy argued that it would be more expensive to implement the furloughs than to continue with planned ships and repairs. Civilian staff working in war zones will also be excluded. |
| The defense department has to give 30 days notice to workers and then fit in the furloughs before the end of September, the completion of the budget year. | The defense department has to give 30 days notice to workers and then fit in the furloughs before the end of September, the completion of the budget year. |
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