All,
I hope everyone is enjoying some time with family over this very “shutdown” Christmas Holiday. Not much to discuss besides the shutdown so I’ll give you guys everything I know. The ATO supposed to shutdown tonight at 12:01am EST (12/24). You should be getting notified by the agency about the shut down soon. Please let me know if anything they tell you doesn’t make sense or seems fishy.
SHUTDOWN
The Agency has notified the Union that this shutdown will be slightly different than previous shutdowns. They are calling it a “rolling” shutdown. What that means is that each line of business will continue to operate until they have exhausted all available funds. The ATO, our line of business, is scheduled to run out of funding at the close of the December 9-22 pay period. The processing of this pay period’s pay and associated benefits is considered part of the orderly shutdown of government and will not be delayed.
If an employee is scheduled to work, and has not been advised that they are a non-excepted employee and are on furlough, then they are obligated to report to work. Agencies will incur obligations to pay for services performed by excepted employees during a lapse in appropriations, and those employees will be paid after Congress passes and the President signs a new appropriation or continuing resolution.
During a shutdown, employees cannot be in a paid leave status, this means no annual leave, sick leave, holiday leave, or credit hours used. BUEs that are on any form of paid leave during the shutdown period should be contacted and advised that their paid leave status is canceled. At that point, BUEs will have the option of returning to work. If a BUE chooses not to, he or she will be placed in furlough status, and there will be no charge to leave balances. Whether or not a BUE gets paid at a later date will be determined by Congress.
After the shutdown ends, "Use or lose” annual leave may be restored as the shutdown and furlough constitutes an exigency of the public business. Previously, restored annual leave cannot be restored because it cannot be restored two times.
We are waiting for answer on the question of what will happens to excepted BUEs who are excused from duty in accordance with Article 28, Section 8 during a shutdown.
Here are the links for the Government Shutdown MOU and associated Q&A. The Q&A covers many of the questions that you may have going forward.
Please send any further questions that you may have to 2018DecFurlough@natca.net.
Update from Eugene Friedman (NATCA Special Counsel) as of 12/22:
NATCA has not been officially notified of when the shutdown begins, but it will be based upon each employees’ funding source. For the vast majority of NATCA represented BUEs, including air traffic controllers, it is the Operations budget. We expect the Operations budget shutdown to begin midnight between Sunday and Monday.
Until FAA declares shutdown/furlough status everything is treated as normal, including this weekend. Annual leave is administered in accordance with Article 24 of NATCA’s CBA.
During a shutdown, employees cannot be in a paid leave status. This means no annual leave, sick leave, holiday or credit hours used. "Non-excepted" employees will remain in a furlough status for the duration of the shutdown. However, if you are designated as an “excepted” employee and are on any form of paid leave, you should be contacted and advised that your paid leave status is canceled. At that point you will have the option of returning to work. If you choose not to, you will be placed in furlough status, and there will be no charge to leave balances. Whether or not you get paid at a later date will be determined by Congress.
Eugene R. Freedman, Esq.
SkyOne Can Help
SkyOne Federal Credit Union Offers financial relief to both excepted and non-excepted members during the Government Shutdown.
With the Federal government shutdown, SkyOne FCU has committed to be there for their members that have accounts with them.
If you are an excepted or non-excepted FAA employee and a member of NATCA this program is available to you if you have or open an account with SkyOne Federal Credit Union.
If a member that has an account with SkyOne FCU suffers a loss of wages due to the government shutdown, SkyOne’s Crisis Co-Pilot program can provide financial relief to help with their everyday expenses.
How Crisis Co-Pilot can help:
• $5,000 signature loan with 0% APR for the first 90 days
• 48-month term keeps the repayment manageable
• No payments for the first 90 days helps free up the cash you need
Fee reversals and more
• Reversals on select fees for up to 90 days
• Extensions on loan payments
• Free credit counseling through BALANCE
SkyOne FCU understands the financial stress the furlough/Shutdown can cause, and they are there to help our members through this difficult time.
Call SkyOne FCU at 800.421.7111 or email them at memberservice@SkyOne.org to learn more about how Crisis Co-Pilot can help. If you have any questions about this benefit please contact John Bratcher, Chairman of the National Benefits Committee at john.bratcher@natca.net.
Let me know if I can help. Merry Christmas.
Yippee-Ki-Yay my brothers (and sisters),
Drew