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Government Shutdown Information
The government is funded through March 22, 2024. At that time, Congress must pass a new appropriations bill or a Continuing Resolution. Failing this, another shutdown is an option. As a first step to preparing for that difficult possibility, members are encouraged to read the new Furlough Handbook to review options for coping with any financial hardship.
Shutdown Q&A
Q. Will my Foreign Service annuity continue to be paid during the a Government shutdown?
A. Yes - Foreign Service annuitants will continue to receive their monthly annuity payment.
Q. Is furlough time creditable towards retirement?
A. Yes. Furlough time is creditable toward retirement. An employee is allowed service credit for up to six months of nonpay status in any calendar year.
Q. How does being furloughed affect my high-3 salary calculation?
A. The high-3 salary calculation is based on an employee’s rate of basic pay, not on actual salary received. If a period of nonpay status (such as a furlough) that is creditable for retirement occurs during the 3-year period used to compute the high-3 average salary, the loss of actual pay during that nonpay status period generally would have no effect on the high-3 computation.
Q. I am in training and participate in the PCS Lodging Program. (My lodging costs are billed directly to the Department.) Will the shutdown affect this program?
A. No, the PCS Lodging Program is not affected by the shutdown.
Guidance from the Foreign Affairs and Other Agencies
State
- Guidance on Operations During a Lapse in Appropriations (9/28/21)
- American Payroll Information Updates For Retroactive Pay Period 26 and Pay Period 01 (1/28/19)
- Urgent Message from the Deputy Under Secretary for Management (1/17/19)
- Updated Lapse Guidance from the Deputy Under Secretary for Management (1/11/19)
- Message from Secretary appreciating employees during lapse in appropriations (1/11/19)
- Furloughed Employees Handbook (1/17/19)
- Regarding Furlough Letters and Resources - Message from the Deputy Under Secretary for Management (1/4/19)
- Regarding Lapse in Appropriations Planning - Message from the Deputy Under Secretary for Management (12/20/18)
USAID
- Guidance for USAID Personnel: Memorandum from the Assistant Administrator for Management (9/24/21)
- Notice: Government Lapse in Appropriations (1/18/19)
- Frequently Asked Questions: Shutdown Due to a Lapse in Appropriations (1/15/18)
Commerce
- Planning for a Potential Lapse in Appropriations (TBA)
FAS
- Agency Shutdown Plan Contingency Plans (1/26/18)
APHIS
USAGM
OHRM/USDA
- Employee FAQ on Emergency Shutdown Furlough (12/20/18)
- USDA Out of Office Communications Guidance (12/20/18)
- USDA Out of Office Sign (12/20/18)
White House/OMB
- Agency Contingency Plans (9/21)
Key Information
From the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- Instructions for a Lapse in Appropriations Starting December 22, 2018
- Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs
- Furlough Guidance
- Pay & Leave Furlough Guidance: Shutdown Furlough
Other Key Information
- Effect of Nonpay Status on Your TSP Account
- Shutdown Resources for FEDs
- Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations (12/19/18)
- Everything You Should Know About Government Shutdowns (9/24/13)
- Sample Notice to Creditors of Furloughed Federal Employees (9/17/15)
- Information for Furloughed Federal Workers: Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)
CRS Reports on Government Shutdowns
- Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects (9/25/13)
- Economic Effects of FY2014 Government Shutdown (9/11/15)
- Past Government Shutdowns: Key Resources (6/14/21)
Useful Information from the Media, Think Tanks, Etc.
- What's the difference between a government shutdown and a failure to raise the debt ceiling? (Brookings, 4/24/23)
- Furloughed feds won’t be RIFed if government shutdown extends past 30 days, OMB says (Federal News Network, 1/15/19)
- Everything You Need to Know About a Government Shutdown (Washington Post, 1/20/18)
- Who Gets Sent Home If the Government Shuts Down (Washington Post, 1/18/18)
- The Three Possible Fates Feds Face in a Government Shutdown (The Federal Times, 1/17/18)
- OPM Guidance on Determining Who Works During a Shutdown (FedSmith, 12/4/17)
- What a Shutdown Means for Federal Retirement Benefits (Washington Post, 9/25/15)
- A Primer on Pay and Benefits (Government Executive, 9/23/15)
- What Federal Employees Need to Know About Their Pay and Benefits (Washington Post, 9/18/15)
Other Related Information
- From AFSA: Personal Finances When You Are Furloughed (1/16/19)
- American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Lawsuit (12/31/18)
This page was last updated on 1/19/2024.