2.  Furlough Overview  Discontinuous/Continuous Requests  Leave  Benefits  FEHB  FEGLI  TSP  FEDVIP  FSAFEDS  Within Grade Increase  TDY - Furlough  Workers Compensation  TimeKeeper Instructions  New Employees – Prorated Furlough Days  Unemployment Compensation  Family Support Fund

3.  Sequester mandated reduction in budgetary resources  Administrative furlough is a result of the DOD budgetary challenges  Furloughs of 30 calendar days or less are covered under adverse action procedures found in Subpart D of 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 752.  Technicians furloughed 11 work days or 88 hours  Effective: 8 Jul – 30 Sept 2013  Employees should not plan to receive retroactive compensation

4.  Discontinuous Furlough - one day off per week or 18hrs in a pay period – Alternate Work Schedule.  Hours will be different depending on your work schedule (8/9/10 hours)  Continuous Furlough – 11 days or 88 hours continuous during furlough period. Technicians do not have to take all 11 days/88 hours continuous.  Approval authorities for Continuous Furlough are the Army Chief of Staff/Air Wing Director of Staff

5.  Use of paid leave or other forms of paid time off is prohibited (annual, sick, court, military leave, and any comp time earned or time-off awards) during furlough days.  Compensatory time-off is not permitted to make up lost time or lost pay.  Approval authorities for Comp time will be the Army Chief of Staff/Air Wing Director of Staff

6.  Accrual of annual leave and sick leave ◦ If the furlough period is for part of a biweekly pay period, leave accrual will generally not be affected for that pay period. ◦ When 80 hours of non-pay status from the beginning of the Leave Year is accumulated, no annual or sick leave is earned in the pay period in which that 80 hour accumulation is reached. ◦ This occurs whether the accumulation is all in one pay period, or over the course of several pay periods.

7.  Accrual of annual leave and sick leave ◦ If another 80 hours of non-pay status is accumulated during the same Leave Year, no annual or sick leave is earned in the pay period in which the new 80 hour total is reached. ◦ At the end of the Leave Year, any accumulation of non-pay status hours of less than 80 hours is zeroed out so that the accumulation of non-pay status hours for the next Leave Year starts at zero.

8.  Within-grade and step increases for General Schedule and Federal Wage System employees are awarded on the basis of length of service and individual performance.  Extended periods of non-pay status may affect the timing of such increases. For example, a GS employee in steps 1, 2, or 3 who is furloughed for more than 2 workweeks or 80 hours during the waiting period would have his or her within-grade increase delayed by at least a full pay period.

9.  Benefits will continue!  Furlough time off is treated in the same way as Personal Leave Without Pay (LWOP) for benefit purposes  As the furlough count-down continues and the anticipation of its outcome heightens, the DOD employee benefits programs remain stable, and largely unaffected.  Benefits will only be affected if technician elects to continuously furlough and funds becomes insufficient to pay premium for benefits.  To avoid this situation – schedule continuous furlough period over two pay periods.

10.  Retirement  Social Security (OASDI) Tax  Medicare Tax  Federal Income Tax  Basic Health Insurance Premium  Basic Life Insurance Premium  State Income Tax  Local Income Tax  Collection of Debts Owed to the U.S. Government  Optional Benefits ◦ Health Care/Limited-Expense Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) ◦ Dental (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) ◦ Vision (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) ◦ Health Savings Account (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) ◦ Optional Life Insurance Premiums (FEGLI optional benefits or similar benefits under other authority) ◦ Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums ◦ Dependent-Care Flexible Spending Accounts (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) ◦ Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)  Loan Payments  Basic Contributions  Catch-up Contributions

11.  BASIC RULES:  Enrollment continues for no more than 365 days in a non-pay status.  Employer is responsible for their portion of the FEHB premium ◦ Coverage will not lapse ◦ Technician remains responsible for employee portion of premium payments

12.  What if their continuous furlough causes insufficient pay to pay the FEHB premium?  If an employee elects to continue FEHB coverage, then FEHB premium that was missed will be collected in the future pay period.

13.  Qualifying Life Events (QLE) to allow change in participant election in FEHB.  FURLOUGH IS NOT A QUALIFYING LIFE EVENT!!!!!  Temporary employee who completes one year of service and is eligible to enroll under 5 USC 8906a  Marriage, divorce, annulment  Birth, adoption, acquiring foster child or stepchild, issuance of court order requiring employee to provide coverage for child  Last child loses coverage, for example, child reaches age 26 or marries, foster child moves out of employee's home and/or becomes financially independent, or disabled child becomes capable of self-support, child acquires other coverage by court order  Death of spouse or dependent

14.  Coverage will continue during furlough period while in a non-pay status.  If furlough results in a salary less than the FEGLI premium amount, employee’s share will be withheld on return to full salary.

15.  What happens to TSP during a furlough ◦ Those who contribute a % --- have a smaller proportionate amount deducted ◦ Those who contribute a $dollar amount --- that amount will not change and a technician needs to be aware that this will affect their net pay in a greater amount than the % method

16.  TSP LOANS: - Can I take a TSP loan while I am furloughed? Answer: YES, if it’s a furlough of less than 30 days Loan payments will be withheld providing sufficient salary is available; loans are not in default until the employee has missed more than 2½ payments

17.  BENEFEDS will generate a direct bill for past due premiums when no premium is paid for 2 consecutive pay periods. Coverage will continue only if the direct bills are paid timely.  When you are placed in a furlough status you are still covered under the Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program.

18.  If FEDVIP is unable to take the necessary amount of money out of your paycheck then it will take it out of your next check if there is sufficient funds.  So in reality you will be paying twice the amount for what you would normally pay for that pay period just to catch up on your payments.

19.  Can I terminate my coverage?  During a furlough it is unauthorized to terminate your FEDVIP and re-enroll at a later date. These opportunities are limited to Benefits Open Season or in conjunction with a (QLE) qualifying life event.

20.  Will an employee’s Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) be impacted during an administrative furlough?  The employee’s FSAFEDS coverage continues, and allotments made by the employee continue if the employee’s salary in each pay period is sufficient to cover the deduction(s).  If the employee’s salary is insufficient to cover his or her allotment(s), then incurred eligible health care expenses will not be reimbursed until the allotments are successfully restarted.

21.  Technicians CANNOT use furlough days while TDY.  Make sure if you are scheduled for a technician TDY that you have not requested to be furloughed during this timeframe.

22.  Are Employees who are Injured while on Furlough eligible to receive Workers’ Compensation Benefits?  NO!  Federal Workers’ Compensation is paid to employees only if they are injured while performing work duties. Employees on furlough are not in a duty status.

23.  New Employees hired after 8 July 2013 will be required to be furloughed. New Employees furlough hours will be prorated depending when they were hired.  Example: Hire Date: 15 July – must complete 80 hours or 10 days.

24.  Randy Wilde is the Military Representative for the Idaho Department of Labor  Phone: # 208-332-3575 extension 3298  Email: Randy.wilde@labor.idaho.govRandy.wilde@labor.idaho.gov 3rd Friday of each month 10 a.m.—Noon Idaho Department of Labor 219 West Main Street Boise, Idaho 83735

25.  Provides emergency financial assistance to Soldiers and their immediate family members.  Contact your Family Assistance Center or Family Readiness Support Assistant for more information about the Idaho Family Fund and other financial assistance programs.  Please contact your local FAC Specialist for an application and any questions/concerns. FAC Coordinator Gowen Field, Rene Bade 4250 Cessna St., Bldg. 270, Boise, ID 83705 208-272-4356/208-514-9930 Renee.m.bade.ctr@mail.mil

26.  SF 8, UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION REQUEST - IDAHO AIR/ARMY NATIONAL GUARD  SF 50, PERSONNEL ACTION, FURLOUGH

27.  Randy Wilde is the Military Representative for the Idaho Department of Labor  Phone: # 208-332-3575 extension 3298  Email: Randy.wilde@labor.idaho.govRandy.wilde@labor.idaho.gov Career Guidance Job Opportunities Training Programs Idaho Department of Labor 219 West Main Street Boise, Idaho 83735

28.  Provides emergency financial assistance to Soldiers and their immediate family members.  Contact your Family Assistance Center or Family Readiness Support Assistant for more information about the Idaho Family Fund and other financial assistance programs.  Please contact your local FAC Specialist for an application and any questions/concerns. FAC Coordinator Gowen Field, Rene Bade 4250 Cessna St., Bldg. 270, Boise, ID 83705 208-272-4356/208-514-9930 Renee.m.bade.ctr@mail.mil