TAG TOWN HALLFURLOUGH

2013

Overview

• Opening Remarks• Guidance and Implementation• WIARNG• WIANG• Benefits Impact• Questions

TAG Opening Remarks

General Administration and Implementation

• Why are technicians subject to furlough and AGR/FTNG are not?

• Furlough period: 8 July 2013 – 30 September 2013 • Maximum of 88 hours/11 days• Prorated hours for :

- New Employees hired on/after 10 June 2013

- Employees returning to duty after 5 June 2013

- Employees separating from employment after implementation

- Part-time employees

General Administration and Implementation

• Notice of Proposed Furlough issued 29 May 2013 (S: 4 June 2013)

• Decision to Furlough issued 19 June 2013 (S: 28 June 2013)

• Excepted Positions: 35 WIANG; 2 WIARNG

General Administration and Implementation• Standard: 16 hours/2 work days per pay period• Continuous use up to 1 work week per pay period• Continuous use up to 11 days/88 hours total if on military status or

other leave without pay (LWOP) status• HR will compute prorated furlough hours for new/RTD/chg in status.• Supervisors are responsible for ensuring technicians execute their

furlough plan• Use furlough (KE) before KG (military LWOP) or KA (personal

LWOP) or prior to having HR process a personnel action to change duty status

LWOP Scenarios1. RTD after 8 July and have used 88 hours of nonpay: No furlough owed

2. RTD after 8 July but have not used 88 hours of nonpay: 30 day notice of proposed furlough issued and furlough will be prorated by HR

3. Military duty/personal LWOP for less than 30 days after 8 July: use 88 hours of furlough (KE) first in time and attendance then get coded KG (military LWOP) or KA (personal LWOP) for the rest

4. Going on military duty after 8 July through 30 September: use 88 hours of furlough (KE) first in time and attendance then HR will process eRPA submitted by supervisor to change technicians duty status (i.e. AUS-absent for uniformed service; personal LWOP)

General Administration and Implementation• Cannot volunteer to work on scheduled furlough day• May not earn compensatory time unless approved through chain of

command with final approval from – Wing Commanders, Director of Air Staff– Chief of Staff Army (Army funded technicians except AASF/SMO)

• SAO will approve AASF Technicians• G4 will approve SMO Technicians

– Director of the Joint Staff (TAG Personal Staff & Joint Staff Technicians)

• Unable to substitute any type of paid leave for furlough hours• Recommend being in a paid status the day before or after a holiday (2 September 2013 – Labor Day)

ARNG

• Work with individual supervisor• Maximize your AT period• Make sure you always have pay due• Coordinate with military unit for legitimate unit/military work and

appropriate orders

ANG

• Flying wings will furlough two consecutive days each pay period• WI ANG HQ and Volk Field ANGB will furlough one day per week • WI ANG has 35 exemptions to include SARCs at each Wing and

115 FW ACA support • Work schedule exceptions will be coordinated at group commander

level

ANG

• Technicians work schedule with supervisor• Ensure you understand the impact of your schedule on your

paycheck • Coordinate with military supervisor for legitimate unit/military work

and appropriate orders

Effect on Technician Benefits

• Sufficient pay – benefits and premiums will continue as normal

• Insufficient pay to cover some or all premiums

-May cause debt(s)

-Benefits will not stop

Insufficient Pay

• FEHB (federal employee health benefit):

-Will cause a debt for one premium on next check with sufficient pay

• FEGLI (federal employee group life insurance):

-Coverage continues; no debt incurred for premium

• FEDVIP (federal employee dental/vision insurance plan):

-Will cause a debt for one premium on next check with sufficient pay

Insufficient Pay • TSP (thrift savings plan):

-If contribution is a percentage of pay, contribution may be less if

employee’s gross pay is less than normal

-If contribution is set dollar amount, contribution will be the same as

long as employee has sufficient pay to cover the election

-Missed contributions will not be eligible to make up

-Still responsible for timely payments for a TSP loan

• FERS & CSRS Retirement contribution:

-Continues for furloughs under 30 days

-Will not affect employee’s high three calculation for annuity

purposes

Insufficient Pay

• FLTCIP (federal long term care insurance program):

-Will cause a debt that will be paid by increasing future premiums by

no more than $50 per pay period until debt is paid

• NGAUS (Disability and Life insurance):

-Disability and Life insurance: coverage will continue and there will not be debt premiums for insufficient pay under 30 days

Insufficient Pay

• FSA (flexible spending account)

- If pay becomes insufficient to cover elected allotments:

-Incurred health care expenses will not be reimbursed until

allotments are restarted

-Incurred dependent care expenses will be reimbursed up to the

balance in the account

-Once restarted, remaining allotments will be recalculated over remaining pay periods to match the employee’s annual election amount.

Benefits Impact• WGI (within grade increase):

-WGI will be delayed by the amount of the non-pay, when the non-pay status exceeds in the aggregate, the following:

General Schedule Technicians

(1) Two workweeks in the waiting period for steps 2, 3, and 4.

(2) Four workweeks in the waiting period for steps 5, 6 and 7.

(3) Six workweeks in the waiting period for steps 8, 9 and 10.

Wage Grade Technicians

(1) One workweek in the waiting period for step 2.

(2) Three workweeks in the waiting period for step 3.

(3) Four workweeks in the waiting

period for steps 4 and 5

Benefits Impact

• Leave Accrual

-When an employee's service is interrupted by a non-leave-earning period, he earns leave on a pro rata basis for each fractional pay period that occurs within the continuity of his employment.

5 CFR 630.204; DOD FMR Vol 8 050104E.

Biweekly Pay Period

Hourly Accrual Rate

Workdays 4 hr accrual 6 hr accrual 8 hr accrual

1 1 1 1

2 1 1 2

3 1 2 2

4 2 2 3

5 2 3 4

6 2 4 5

7 3 4 6

8 3 5 6

9 3 5 7

10 4 6 8

Benefits Impact

• Unemployment:

-Not Eligible If: work more than 32 hours in a week

make more than $500 in a week ($500 threshold can be less depending upon your hourly wage)

-WI requires a “Wait Week” before you receive benefit (does not have to be a full 5 days/week to qualify as a “Wait Week”;

not applicable if you have already served a wait week this year)

***Don’t wait to call unemployment***

Benefits Impact• Unemployment continued:• Do not have to report Drill pay• Do not have to report Annual Training pay

**However: you are not “available/able” for work during that time making you ineligible for unemployment **

• Be sure to give claims examiner the appropriate code

-Army 6 digit code: 996 422

-Air Force 6 digit code: 996 424• Phone # for Initial claim:

Toll Free: 800-822-5246

Madison: 608-232-0678

Milwaukee: 414-438-7700

http://dma.wi.gov/dma/hr/emp_resources/furlough.asp

QUESTIONS?