Government shutdown thread - 25th annual edition

[pixy0stix]

wapo.st/3LFyrcW

Hardliner Rs are plotting to overthrow McCarty - aka they want to drag this on for weeks

[basilosaurus]

Sept 28, 2023 19:56:45 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

wapo.st/3LFyrcW

Hardliner Rs are plotting to overthrow McCarty - aka they want to drag this on for weeks

oh, cool. They really care about us. They really do!

I've lost the thread of which bullshit complaint they're on. Is it still Ukraine? Doj? The color of the white house garden flowers?

These people are just not adults. And yet they're holding the country hostage.

[hellomarriedlife]

Sept 28, 2023 19:56:45 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

wapo.st/3LFyrcW

Hardliner Rs are plotting to overthrow McCarty - aka they want to drag this on for weeks

Looks as if some families aren't going to have much of a Christmas this year. 

[candreco]

There is a very doom and gloom vibe in my office today. We finally got a little guidance last night, and it sounds like a) the plan to make everyone excepted is likely a no-go and b) we're still waiting on guidance from Secretary level. I know no one ever wants to admit a shutdown is a possibility, but it seems like there should be some basic planning in place.

I'm going to get as much cleared off my plate as I can today, log into various systems that have 30-day log in requirements, and generally prep like I'm not going to be here next week so I'm not frantically trying to do all the things in my four admin hours Monday morning.

[gottadobe]

Sept 28, 2023 10:24:31 GMT -5 supertrooper1 said:

If anyone has use or lose leave, I recommend putting in for it before the 30th. That way if we are shut down, you can request to have it restored.

Geesh, I'm a 30+ year employee and fairly confident I never knew this.
Can you share more - is there a certain time period the leave has to "take place," or anytime from now until end of year?

[ellipses84]

Sept 29, 2023 8:58:54 GMT -5 gottadobe said:

Sept 28, 2023 10:24:31 GMT -5 supertrooper1 said:

If anyone has use or lose leave, I recommend putting in for it before the 30th. That way if we are shut down, you can request to have it restored.

Geesh, I'm a 30+ year employee and fairly confident I never knew this.
Can you share more - is there a certain time period the leave has to "take place," or anytime from now until end of year?

I’m not a fed but I work with a lot and the ones I know have to use it by the end be of the calendar year. Scheduling things with big groups is always super challenging after Thanksgiving and the last couple weeks of December we block out for no meetings because it’s impossible to get key stakeholders. Everyone is using their leave. I don’t know their exact policy and if it’s use or lose yearly, or if it’s just the people that have hit a rollover cap that have to use it or lose it.

Eta: I don’t know about restoration so sorry if my response was not helpful. On half our business most of the people are essential but the other half we are not sure and there is travel/ meetings planned for next week that might get canceled.

[ssmjlm]

Current update is that no civilian in my organization will be considered essential. Cool, except we have no active duty that will be here to cover. And that includes the office above us that we would defer to. No update if anyone realized that and is making plans.

I'm supposed to have someone start on October 10. I cannot get an answer from our personnel office if they are going to push the start. There won't be anyone here to in process.

[ssmjlm]

Sept 29, 2023 8:58:54 GMT -5 gottadobe said:

Sept 28, 2023 10:24:31 GMT -5 supertrooper1 said:

If anyone has use or lose leave, I recommend putting in for it before the 30th. That way if we are shut down, you can request to have it restored.

Geesh, I'm a 30+ year employee and fairly confident I never knew this.
Can you share more - is there a certain time period the leave has to "take place," or anytime from now until end of year?

Check to see who is responsible for leave restoration. For us, it was HR and they wouldn't do it. That was a non-furlough year, but in the end, they were the road block.

[Bernadine]

OPM finally gave the go ahead to agencies to hold potential shutdown meetings this afternoon.

[minzy]

We just had a staff call and my poor boss sounded exhausted. We’re essential but not everyone we work with is and there is so much to it.

[candreco]

Sept 29, 2023 10:37:03 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

OPM finally gave the go ahead to agencies to hold potential shutdown meetings this afternoon.

Ours literally just started, with the meeting invite coming out about half an hour ahead of time.  Here we go....

ETA: ours was just a rundown on procedures, what to expect if you're furloughed or excepted, resources if you need help while you're not being paid.  No specifics on internal criteria for being excepted, but I've heard from my immediate front office that there are several meetings at various levels going on this afternoon and they should be able to provide more specific guidance by COB today.  I'm pretty sure I'll be furloughed, maybe brought back if this goes too long into budget season.

[supertrooper1]

Sept 29, 2023 8:58:54 GMT -5 gottadobe said:

Sept 28, 2023 10:24:31 GMT -5 supertrooper1 said:

If anyone has use or lose leave, I recommend putting in for it before the 30th. That way if we are shut down, you can request to have it restored.

Geesh, I'm a 30+ year employee and fairly confident I never knew this.
Can you share more - is there a certain time period the leave has to "take place," or anytime from now until end of year?

This year, the last pay period goes through January 13, 2024, so we have some extra time to use leave.  My agency sent out an email saying that use or lose must be scheduled by November 19th***, and then if something happens and we can't use it, we can go through our channels to have it restored.  In my current job, I don't think anyone would fight it if I didn't use all of my use or lose and then requested it back at the end of the year.  But at my last job, people would try to save it so they could use it during the holidays even though only X number of people were allowed off at a time due to staffing.  Management would deny use or lose restoration because they said the employee could have used it throughout the year and shouldn't have saved it until the last month of the calendar year.  

***Edited to add, November 19th is the pre-shut down date. Due to the shut down, it should be requested now.

[Scout'sHonor]

We're on an all-hands right now and "it's not looking good" lol sob

[sequins]

Sept 29, 2023 10:26:53 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Current update is that no civilian in my organization will be considered essential. Cool, except we have no active duty that will be here to cover. And that includes the office above us that we would defer to. No update if anyone realized that and is making plans.

I'm supposed to have someone start on October 10. I cannot get an answer from our personnel office if they are going to push the start. There won't be anyone here to in process.

I'm a new fed hire, supposed to start in october. I graduated from my PhD program in september to facilitate a smooth transition and now I'd be totally fucked if not for H's job. I lost my fellowship salary, health insurance and benefits from grad school and I now have no estimated start date at the fed IC. This is so depressing and frustrating.

[chchchia]

Sept 29, 2023 11:19:24 GMT -5 sequins said:

Sept 29, 2023 10:26:53 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Current update is that no civilian in my organization will be considered essential. Cool, except we have no active duty that will be here to cover. And that includes the office above us that we would defer to. No update if anyone realized that and is making plans.

I'm supposed to have someone start on October 10. I cannot get an answer from our personnel office if they are going to push the start. There won't be anyone here to in process.

I'm a new fed hire, supposed to start in october. I graduated from my PhD program in september to facilitate a smooth transition and now I'd be totally fucked if not for H's job. I lost my fellowship salary, health insurance and benefits from grad school and I now have no estimated start date at the fed IC. This is so depressing and frustrating.

You should check and make sure your position and agency even is affected by the shutdown bc not every position or agency is.
Good luck!!

[sequins]

Sept 29, 2023 11:43:03 GMT -5 chchchia said:

Sept 29, 2023 11:19:24 GMT -5 sequins said:

I'm a new fed hire, supposed to start in october. I graduated from my PhD program in september to facilitate a smooth transition and now I'd be totally fucked if not for H's job. I lost my fellowship salary, health insurance and benefits from grad school and I now have no estimated start date at the fed IC. This is so depressing and frustrating.

You should check and make sure your position and agency even is affected by the shutdown bc not every position or agency is.
Good luck!!

Sadly yes. Thank you though <3

[chchchia]

Sept 29, 2023 11:48:00 GMT -5 sequins said:

Sept 29, 2023 11:43:03 GMT -5 chchchia said:

You should check and make sure your position and agency even is affected by the shutdown bc not every position or agency is.
Good luck!!

Sadly yes. Thank you though <3

Sorry to hear that. I’m watching the news and unfortunately it looks like we are shutting down. Ugh.

[cattledogkisses]

Department of the Interior says National Parks will be closed during this shutdown, unlike during the shutdown of 2018-2019.

apnews.com/article/national-park-grand-canyon-shutdown-budget-congress-55c06261c51650e34f4591626bd9f236

[Scout'sHonor]

Sept 29, 2023 12:50:27 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

Department of the Interior says National Parks will be closed during this shutdown, unlike during the shutdown of 2018-2019.

apnews.com/article/national-park-grand-canyon-shutdown-budget-congress-55c06261c51650e34f4591626bd9f236

Our gov is trying to figure out a way to keep ours open just in case: www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/gov-jared-polis-colorados-national-parks-open-federal-shutdown/

[seeyalater52]

Sept 28, 2023 11:40:07 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

Sept 28, 2023 7:21:58 GMT -5 rubytue said:

WTeverlovingF. Apparently, they are starting impeachment hearings today. Because, clearly that is a priority.

wapo.st/3rrRUHj

The House has also used their time to add an amendment on their defense spending bill to reduce the Secretary of Defense's salary to $1. 

I'm so glad they're keeping their priorities straight.

While grandstanding transphobia of course.

I really shudder to think of what Dems might trade and who they might throw under a bus to end this shutdown situation. Obviously I feel for those whose jobs and livelihoods are impacted, but I am really worried about losing ground especially on key social issues and how this will play out.

[1confused1]

I oversee site services for our location and things are getting canceled and no one is telling me until I send a confirmation letting them know what they needed is complete. I’m wasting so much time today on this!

In addition, I have a ton of outside services that report to me and no one is giving me direction on what to tell them.

[candreco]

No official notification until an actual lapse of course, but found out just now that I'll be furloughed if (lol, when) the government shuts down. I predict it'll be a nice break for about the first three days, and then I'll be bored just hanging out waiting to be called back.

[rubytue]

Sit in in Friday night with a whole lot of blah feelings. Just kind of numb that we are doing this *again*. I mean, clearly this is not a surprise (hello, I started this thread in august). My feelings are like spinning on a merry go round. One moment looking at some house projects, the next angry at congress fucking with people, then back to trying to find something to fill the time then looking at my list and wondering if I’ll run out of time or list first, then just scared for the future.

Scared in oh so many ways. Like, the other day, someone was hypothesizing the effect of feds on TFG get re-elected. I quipped that I’d take the early retirement. Due looking at me and said “oh the end of the republic, but as long as you get your early retirement.” So yeah… my quip was to deflect from actually thinking about how bad it would be, and it wasn’t really the time or place. *sigh*

[AAM2012]

I really think nobody should be required to work without pay.

If TSA agents suddenly weren’t at work tomorrow, you best believe these assholes would get their priorities figured out.

(I would hope…)

[sju]

AAM2012, and Congress should not get paid while there’s a shutdown.

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2023 9:30:34 GMT -5 sju said:

AAM2012, and Congress should not get paid while there’s a shutdown.

Apparently there’s a law that they have to get paid? I’m not entirely sure, but it’s not like they can just offer to not get paid. I mean, I guess in theory they could pass something to stop their own pay during a shutdown, and maybe they should.

[livinitup]

Sept 30, 2023 9:11:55 GMT -5 AAM2012 said:

I really think nobody should be required to work without pay.

If TSA agents suddenly weren’t at work tomorrow, you best believe these assholes would get their priorities figured out.

(I would hope…)

How about a god damn labor shutdown bubble around every asshole in the freedom caucus (+MTG bc she was too crazy to not get kicked out of it) for every single service they need from a cup of coffee to prescription medication !!.

Assholes.

[cattledogkisses]

Sept 30, 2023 9:11:55 GMT -5 AAM2012 said:

I really think nobody should be required to work without pay.

If TSA agents suddenly weren’t at work tomorrow, you best believe these assholes would get their priorities figured out.

(I would hope…)

Apparently this is one of the things that contributed to the end of the 2018-2019 shutdown.  TSA agents started refusing to come into work. 

[StrawberryBlondie]

Sept 30, 2023 11:28:53 GMT -5 @villainv said:

Sept 30, 2023 9:30:34 GMT -5 sju said:

AAM2012, and Congress should not get paid while there’s a shutdown.

Apparently there’s a law that they have to get paid? I’m not entirely sure, but it’s not like they can just offer to not get paid. I mean, I guess in theory they could pass something to stop their own pay during a shutdown, and maybe they should.

It's in the Constitution.

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2023 14:12:34 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Sept 30, 2023 11:28:53 GMT -5 @villainv said:

Apparently there’s a law that they have to get paid? I’m not entirely sure, but it’s not like they can just offer to not get paid. I mean, I guess in theory they could pass something to stop their own pay during a shutdown, and maybe they should.

It's in the Constitution.

Well that explains why they haven’t changed it!