FURLOUGH
                       Questions & Answers

GENERAL
 
1.   Q.   What is a FURLOUGH?

     A.   A furlough is the placing of an employee in a temporary
          nonduty, nonpay status because of lack of work or
          funds, or other nondisciplinary reasons. 

2.   Q.   What is a SHUTDOWN?

     A.   An emergency closure (resulting in the furlough of
          employees) caused by a lapse in appropriations or other
          unforeseeable circumstances.

FURLOUGHS CAUSED BY LAPSED APPROPRIATIONS (SHUTDOWN)

3.   Q.   Would all employees be furloughed if a government
          shutdown occurred?

     A.   No.  The governing laws allow for certain categories of
          employees to continue working; generally, these
          employees are either directly or indirectly involved in
          the "protection of life or property".  For this
          purpose, the terms "excepted", "emergency", and
          "essential" are interchangeably used to describe
          employees who would work during a government shutdown.
 
4.   Q.   How would the government ensure that a shutdown
          occurred in an orderly manner?

          There are employees specifically designated as those
          involved in "orderly shutdown" activities - they would
          be responsible for making the arrangements to shutdown
          non-essential operations.  Their duties might include:
          securing facilities, powering down equipment, leaving
          appropriate voicemail messages, etc.  After their
          duties were completed, employees involved in orderly
          shutdown would either go into a furlough status (if
          non-essential) or continue working (if essential).  The
          amount of time devoted to orderly shutdown will vary
          and could be as little as 1/2 day.  

5.   Q.   How will employees know if they are designated
          "essential", "orderly shutdown", both, or neither?

     A.   Employees will be notified in advance of any government
          shutdown what their status would be.  To resolve any
          uncertainty, employees should verify their status with
          their immediate supervisors in advance of an
          anticipated government shutdown.

6.   Q.   For furloughs necessitated by lapsed appropriations
          (shutdowns), is an agency required to provide 30
          calendar days advance written notice and an opportunity
          to respond prior to issuing a decision to furlough?

     A.   No.  OPM's regulations provide for emergency furlough
          without the necessity for advance written notice
          proposing the action. 

7.   Q.   In the event of lapsed appropriations, can an employee
          be furloughed without first receiving a written notice
          of decision to furlough?

     A.   Yes.  While an employee must ultimately receive a
          written notice of decision to furlough, it is not
          required that such written notice be given prior to
          effecting an emergency furlough (shutdown).  When prior
          written notice is not feasible, reasonable notice
          (telephonic or oral) is permissible.

8.   Q.   If a furlough begins on October 1st due to a lapse of
          appropriations, will employees receive a paycheck for
          the last pay period in September?

     A.   Under the current OMB guidance, employees will receive
          this paycheck.  Although the payroll for this last pay
          period in Fiscal Year 1995 will be processed in
          October, and potentially during a period of furlough,
          the minimum number of payroll staff necessary for this
          process will be exempt from furlough for the minimum
          time required to issue the checks, including checks for
          the last pay period in September.  Employees involved
          in ensuring that paychecks were received would be in
          the "orderly shutdown" category discussed in #4 above. 

9.   Q.   What about lump-sum annual leave payments to employees
          separating at the end of the fiscal year?  Are the
          funds paid out of FY 1995 monies or FY 1996?

     A.   The obligation of funds for a lump-sum annual leave
          payment is triggered by the employee's separation from
          service.  For example, if an employee separates on
          September 30, 1995, the money to pay the lump-sum
          annual leave payment is obligated during FY 1995. 
          Although the lump-sum payment would be made in FY 1996,
          it would be paid from FY 1995 funds.

          In the event of a lapse of appropriations, agencies are
          allowed to employ staff to perform activities necessary
          for the orderly suspension of non-excepted activities. 
          As explained above, this includes the processing of
          personnel payroll for the periods prior to the lapse in
          appropriations.  A minimum number of payroll staff
          necessary for this process will be exempt from furlough
          for the minimum time required to issue checks,
          including checks for lump-sum annual leave payments
          paid from funds obligated before the lapse in
          appropriations.

          If an employee separates during lapse of
          appropriations, the lump-sum annual leave payment would
          be delayed until enactment of an appropriation that
          would allow the obligation of funds for this purpose.  

FURLOUGHS TO SAVE MONEY

10.  Q.   When the purpose of the furlough is to save money, may
          an agency effect the furlough action discontinuously
          (e.g., one workday per week for 15 weeks) rather than
          consecutively if it wishes to do so?  

     A.   Nothing in law or regulation prohibits discontinuous
          furloughs, and they have been upheld by the Merit
          Systems Protection Board on appeal.  Moreover,
          discontinuous furloughs can benefit both employees and
          the agency by distributing the furlough days over time,
          thereby minimizing the financial impact on employees as
          well as lessening disruption of agency services to the
          public.

11.  Q.   How will the decision letter be framed if the agency
          has not yet determined the specific number of furlough
          days that will be required when the letter is issued?

     A.   When possible, it is desirable to inform the affected
          employee of a specific number of days in the decision
          letter.  However, the agency needs only to set out the
          maximum time that may be involved.  

EMPLOYEE COVERAGE AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS

12.  Q.   What procedures apply to probationers, employees under
          temporary limited appointments in the competitive
          service, employees who are nonpreference eligible
          employees in the excepted service with less than 
          2 years of continuous service, and similar categories
          of employees?

     A.   There are no mandated procedures; however, agencies
          should ensure that all procedures required by
          negotiated labor agreements or internal personnel
          policies are followed.  More specific information
          regarding applicable negotiated agreements or internal
          personnel procedures can be obtained from your
          servicing personnel office.

13.  Q.   What about SES appointees?

     A.   SES career and noncareer appointees may be furloughed.

14.  Q.   Would employees who are detailed or assigned outside
          the agency during part, or the entire period, of
          furlough be subject to furlough?

     A.   Employees on a reimbursable detail from the agency
          would not NECESSARILY be subject to furlough due to
          lack of funds if full reimbursement continued.  If
          reimbursement were reduced or eliminated, the employee
          would be subject to furlough.  When an employee will be
          paid by an outside organization for part (but not all)
          of the furlough period, the agency may adjust the
          employee's furlough period to reflect the length of the
          reimbursable detail.  Federal employees assigned to
          non-Federal organizations who are on leave without pay
          from their Federal positions may continue working. 
          Where managerial discretion exists, your organization
          will make its decisions known in advance of any
          furlough period.

15.  Q.   How is a furlough handled for employees on flexible or
          compressed work schedules under an alternative work
          schedules (AWS) program?

     A.   For an employee on a flexible work schedule with no
          daily work requirement, the furlough will be expressed
          in terms of the number of hours of the required
          furlough, rather than in terms of the number of days or
          specific dates or times.  If a furlough is expressed in
          terms of the number of days, for a full-time employee
          under a flexible work schedule, the length of a
          furlough day is 8 hours.  For a part-time employee
          under a flexible work schedule, the length of a
          furlough day is the number of hours the employee is
          scheduled to work in order to fulfill the basic work
          requirement during the biweekly pay period, divided by
          the number of days that comprise the employee's
          biweekly tour of duty.

          For an employee on a compressed work schedule, a
          furlough is scheduled for the days and times during
          which employees otherwise would be scheduled to work
          under the compressed work schedule.  The length of a
          furlough day under a compressed work schedule is the
          same as the length of the employee's compressed
          workday; e.g., the length of a furlough day under a
          4/10 compressed work schedule is 10 hours.

16.  Q.   How is a furlough handled for part-time employees?

     A.   Furloughs of part-time employees will be computed based
          on their work schedule and be proportionately
          equivalent to the number of furlough days scheduled for
          full-time employees,  

17.  Q.   What about employees who work on a seasonal or
          intermittent basis?

     A.   Seasonal employees are recalled to duty at identified
          periods of the year in accordance with preestablished
          conditions.  Intermittent employees are 
          non-full-time employees without a regularly
          scheduled tour of duty.  Neither group would be
          called for work during the period in which
          furloughs are scheduled.

EMPLOYMENT DURING FURLOUGH

18.  Q.   May employees take other jobs while on furlough?

     A.   Yes.  However, the Executive Branch standards of
          ethical conduct, which include rules on outside
          employment, continue to apply to employees on
          furloughs.  Additionally, there are statutes which
          prohibit certain outside activities.  Agencies also may
          have varying supplemental rules regarding the
          requirement for prior approval of outside employment,
          and some prohibit certain types of employment. 
          Therefore, before engaging in outside employment,
          employees should review these regulations and then
          consult the Office of General Counsel to learn if there
          are any DoC-specific supplemental rules governing
          Commerce employees.  Furloughed employees may, absent
          any agency restrictions, accept temporary appointments
          with other Federal agencies during furlough.

19.  Q.   What happens to employees' benefits (e.g., retirement,
          health benefits, life insurance, leave) if they receive
          temporary appointments in another agency while
          furloughed?

     A.   The leave, retirement, health benefits, and life
          insurance all should be handled as if the employees had
          been transferred.

20.  Q.   May an employee volunteer to do his or her job on a
          nonpay basis during a furlough period?

     A.   No.  Unless otherwise authorized by law, an agency may
          not accept the voluntary services of an individual.  

21.  Q.   May an employee work on a furlough day in exchange for
          taking a day off at another time for religious
          observances?

     A.   No.  The statute that permits employees to take
          compensatory time off for religious observances does
          not authorize an agency to accept the voluntary
          services of any individual on a furlough day.  Periods
          of time worked in exchange for taking time off for
          religious observances must be scheduled on non-furlough
          days.

SERVICE CREDIT FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES

22.  Q.   Is furlough or leave without pay (LWOP) a break in
          service?

     A.   No, both merely place employees in a nonpay status.

23.  Q.   To what extent does nonpay status affect civil service
          benefits and programs?

     A.   -    For CAREER TENURE, the first 30 calendar days of
               each nonpay period is creditable service.

          -    For COMPLETION OF PROBATION, a total of 22
               workdays in a nonpay status is creditable service.
               
          -    For QUALIFICATION PURPOSES, there is no
               requirement to extend qualifying periods by the
               amount of nonpay status.  However, agencies may
               require such extensions in order to meet training
               requirements or ability to perform.

          -    For TIME-IN-GRADE requirements, nonpay status is
               creditable service.

          -    For RETIREMENT purposes, an aggregate nonpay
               status of 6 months in any calendar year is
               creditable service.  Coverage continues at no cost
               to the employees while in a nonpay status.  When
               employees are in a nonpay status for only a
               portion of a pay period, their contributions are
               adjusted in proportion to their basic pay.  The
               exception would be an employee who had substantial
               time in a nonpay status earlier in the year if the
               furlough causes him or her to have a total of more
               than six months time in a nonpay status during the
               calendar year.

          -    For HEALTH BENEFITS, enrollment continues for no
               more than 365 days in a nonpay status.  The nonpay
               status may be continuous or broken by periods of
               less than four consecutive months in a pay status.

               The government contribution continues while
               employees are in a nonpay status.  The employee
               can choose between paying the agency directly on a
               current basis or having the premiums accumulate
               and be withheld from his or her pay upon returning
               to duty. 
     
          -    For LIFE INSURANCE, coverage continues for 12
               consecutive months in a nonpay status without cost
               to the employees.  The nonpay status may be
               continuous or it may be broken by a return to duty
               for periods of less than four consecutive months.

          -    For WITHIN-GRADE INCREASES, an aggregate of 2
               workweeks nonpay status in a waiting period is
               creditable service for advancement to steps 2, 3,
               and 4 of the General Schedule; four workweeks for
               advancement to steps 5, 6, and 7; and six
               workweeks for advancement to steps 8, 9, and 10. 
               For prevailing rate employees (WG, WL, and WS
               schedules), an aggregate of one workweek nonpay
               status is creditable service for advancement to
               step 2, three weeks for advancement to step 3, and
               four weeks for advancement to steps 4 and 5.

          -    For ANNUAL AND SICK LEAVE, when an employee
               accumulates 80 hours of nonpay status, his or her
               annual and sick leave credits are reduced by an
               amount equal to the amount of leave the employee
               earns during that pay period.  When computing
               annual leave accrual rates, creditable service is
               limited to a total of 6 months per calendar year
               in a nonpay status.

          -    For REDUCTION IN FORCE, an aggregate of 6 months
               nonpay status in a year is creditable service.

          -    For SEVERANCE PAY, nonpay status time is fully
               creditable for the 12-month continuous employment
               period.  However, for purposes of determining
               service creditable towards the computation of an
               employee's severance pay, no more than 6 months of

               nonpay status time per calendar year is creditable
               service.

          -    For the THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN, please contact your
               Servicing Human Resources Advisor.

          -    For MILITARY DUTY or WORKERS' COMPENSATION, nonpay
               status for employees who are performing military
               duty or being paid workers' compensation counts as
               a continuation of Federal employment for all
               purposes upon the employee's return to duty.

RETIREMENT

24.  Q.   When a furlough occurs during the three years of
          service prior to retirement, what effect will time in a
          furlough status have on an employee's high-3 average? 

     A.   Generally there will be no effect on the high-3 average
          unless the furlough causes the employee to be in a
          nonpay status for more than 6 months during the
          calendar year.

25.  Q.   Are the retirement rules concerning the effect of a
          furlough the same for employees under the Civil Service
          Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement
          System?

     A.   Yes.

26.  Q.   What happens to retirement and insurance in a
          DISCONTINUOUS furlough?

     A.   As explained above, retirement credit is not affected
          as long as an employee does not exceed 6 months of
          nonpay status in a calendar year.  Retirement
          deductions are taken on the basic pay the employee
          earns during the pay period.

          Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) premiums are
          deducted from the employee's pay.  If the employee's
          pay is insufficient to cover the FEHB premium, he or
          she can pay the premium directly to the agency or have
          it withheld from pay when he or she returns to regular
          duty.  The enrollment continues for up to 365 days of
          nonpay status.  The nonpay status may be a continuous
          period or it may include an employee's return(s) to pay
          status for a period(s) of less than 4 consecutive
          months.

          Federal Employees Group Life Insurance coverage
          continues, and contributions made by the employee and
          the employee's agency continue if the employee's salary
          in each pay period is sufficient to cover deductions. 
          If the employee's salary is insufficient to cover his
          or her withholding, the employee's coverage will
          continue for up to 12 months without cost to the
          employee or the employee's agency. 

27.  Q.   What happens if employees cancel FEHB coverage while in
          a nonpay status in order to avoid the expense?

     A.   Employees are cautioned not to cancel FEHB coverage to
          avoid payment of premiums while in a nonpay or reduced-
          pay status.  Normally, an employee must wait for an
          FEHB open season to re-enroll.  Further, cancellation
          of FEHB coverage may affect an employee's right to
          carry such coverage into retirement or while in receipt
          of workers' compensation.

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN CONTRIBUTIONS

28.  Q.   Can employees obtain a loan from their TSP account
          based on ANTICIPATED financial hardship resulting from
          the furlough?

     A.   No.  As stated on page 26 of the "Thrift Savings Plan
          Loan Program" booklet, to qualify for a TSP hardship
          loan, the financial information you provide on the loan
          application must demonstrate that one or both of the
          following situations apply:

          1.   your regular monthly expenses exceed your net
               monthly assets to draw upon, and/or

          2.   you have incurred certain defined extraordinary
               expenses (uninsured personal casualty loss, legal
               costs associated with separation or divorce, or
               unpaid cost of household help or improvements due
               to illness or accident) that cannot be covered by
               one month's net income and you do not have enough
               savings or other financial assets upon which to
               draw.  

          These requirements reflect both a means test and
          hardship arising from unforeseen events.  Furthermore,
          as discussed in TSP Bulletin 95-15, "TSP Fact Sheet:
          Effect of Nonpay Status on TSP Participation," loan
          payments are made through payroll allotments.  Thus, if
          you are in a nonpay status (i.e., furlough), you are
          not eligible for a TSP loan.
     

HOLIDAYS

29.  Q.   May employees be furloughed on a holiday?

     A.   Employees may be furloughed for periods of time that
          include holidays. 

30.  Q.   If employees are furloughed on the last workday before
          a holiday or the first workday after a holiday (but not
          on both days), will they be paid for the holiday?

     A.   Yes.  The general rule is that employees are entitled
          to pay for a holiday so long as they are in a pay
          status on either the workday preceding a holiday or the
          workday following a holiday.  Employees are paid for
          the holiday based on the presumption that, but for the
          holiday, the employee would have worked. 

31.  Q.   If employees are furloughed on the last workday before
          a holiday AND the first workday after a holiday, will
          they be paid for the holiday?

     A.   No.  If a furlough includes both the last workday
          before the holiday and the first workday after the
          holiday, the employee is not entitled to pay for the
          holiday because there is no longer a presumption that,
          but for the holiday, the employee would have worked on
          that day.

REQUESTS FOR LEAVE DURING FURLOUGH

32.  Q.   If employees request annual, sick, court, military
          leave, or leave for bone marrow or organ donation after
          receiving a notice proposing specific days of furlough,
          can the requests be denied for those days that coincide
          with the dates of furlough?  If an agency has approved
          requests for these categories of leave before issuance
          of the proposed furlough notice, can the approval be
          rescinded and the employees furloughed on the days that
          coincide with the dates of furlough?

     A.   The answer to both questions is yes.  However,
          management may choose to furlough an employee at
          another time if there is no requirement that the
          employee be furloughed at a given time or in a given
          order.  The agency may designate whichever days it
          chooses as furlough days.  If employees request leave
          for a day designated as a furlough day, the agency is
          not required to grant leave.  Further, if employees
          have been granted leave for a day subsequently
          designated as a furlough day, that leave is

          automatically canceled because the necessity to
          furlough supersedes leave rights.   

33.  Q.   If an employee properly schedules "use-or-lose" annual
          leave before the start of the third biweekly pay period
          prior to the end of the leave year, but is unable to
          use some or all of the scheduled leave because of a
          furlough, does the furlough constitute an "exigency of
          the public business" that permits an agency to restore
          the leave after the beginning of the new leave year?

     A.   Employees in this situation should make every effort to
          reschedule "use-or-lose" annual leave for use before
          the end of the current leave year.  However, if this is
          not possible, agency heads (or their designees) may
          exercise their discretionary authority to determine
          that an employee was prevented from using his or her
          leave because of an exigency of the public business--
          namely, the need to furlough employees because of lack
          of work or funds.

34.  Q.   If an employee is on leave under the Family and Medical
          Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) during furlough days, do the
          furlough days count towards the 12-week entitlement to
          FMLA leave?

     A.   No.  An employee cannot take leave (either paid or
          unpaid) under the FMLA on days that coincide with the
          dates of furlough.  Therefore, the furlough days cannot
          be counted towards the 12-week entitlement to FMLA
          leave.

35.  Q.   To what extent would sick or annual leave be available
          to "essential" employees during a government shutdown?

     A.   Essential employees are so designated because of the
          need for their services, so it stands to reason that
          they would be expected to be present for duty as
          scheduled under most non-emergency circumstances.  This
          is the same rationale for essential employees being
          required to report for duty when inclement weather has
          resulted in the excusal of non-essential employees.

          For example, physical incapacitation would obviously
          warrant sick leave, while a scheduled routine exam
          would not.  A leave-approving official is not precluded
          from approving a request for non-emergency annual
          leave, on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the
          nature of the request and the availability of a
          substitute essential employee.

LEAVE WITHOUT PAY (LWOP)

36.  Q.   If employees are on approved LWOP, can the LWOP be
          terminated and the employees furloughed?

     A.   Yes.  The LWOP can be terminated, but if there is no
          expectation that the employees may return to duty on
          the proposed furlough days, it is unnecessary to cancel
          the LWOP, since there is no work or funds involved. 
          However, if the employees may potentially return to
          duty during the approved LWOP, the agency may propose
          to furlough on the days of approved LWOP and cancel the
          LWOP.

LEAVE IN LIEU OF FURLOUGH

37.  Q.   May agencies allow employees to use leave without pay
          (LWOP) in place of furlough?  How about annual or sick
          leave?

     A.   Agencies may allow employees to elect days of LWOP
          instead of furlough days.  LWOP would be a nonpay
          status and accomplish the same cost savings.  However,
          agencies may not require employees to take a specified
          number of days or hours of LWOP.  Annual or sick leave
          is not appropriate if the furlough is for lack of funds
          because the employees would be in a pay status,
          contrary to the intent of the furlough.

38.  Q.   May an employee voluntarily request LWOP for a holiday?

     A.   No.  A holiday is considered a "nonworkday" for leave
          purposes.  Therefore, an employee may not request or be
          granted LWOP for a holiday.  However, if an employee is
          on LWOP on the last workday before a holiday and the
          first workday after a holiday, he or she is not
          entitled to pay for the holiday.  (See Holidays.)

TEMPORARY DUTY OR TRAVEL STATUS

39.  Q.   What happens to non-essential employees who are in a
          temporary duty or status at the time a furlough due to
          shutdown is invoked? 

     A.   Ideally, most non-essential employees in either
          temporary duty or travel status could be recalled in
          anticipation of a government shutdown.  Those who could
          practically be recalled at the outset of a government
          shutdown would be considered "orderly shutdown"
          employees and would terminate their government duties
          immediately upon return.  At this time, it is unclear
          whether there will be ANY EXCEPTIONS made for
          situations which would be impractical and/or costly to
          terminate, as this matter is still under
          government-wide review.  A decision is expected prior
          to October 1st.

CONTINUATION OF PAY (COP)

40.  Q.   If employees are receiving COP due to job-related
          injuries, can the COP be terminated or interrupted by
          furlough?

     A.   No.  According to the Department of Labor, employees
          are maintained on COP status during periods of
          furlough.  

INJURY WHILE ON FURLOUGH OR LWOP

41.  Q.   If employees are injured while on furlough or LWOP, are
          they eligible for workers' compensation?

     A.   No.  Workers' compensation is paid to employees only if
          they are injured while performing their duties. 
          Employees on furlough or LWOP are not in a duty status
          for this purpose.

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

42.  Q.   Are employees entitled to unemployment compensation
          while on furlough?

     A.   Employees may be eligible for unemployment
          compensation, especially if they are on consecutive
          furlough days.  However, state unemployment
          compensation requirements differ.  For example, many
          states require employees to wait until the second week
          of a furlough before benefits may be paid.  Therefore,
          agencies or employees should submit their questions to
          the appropriate State office.  Finally, the Department
          of Labor (DoL) is considering the feasibility of
          developing special procedures for federal employees
          that would expedite filing of their claims in the event
          of a shutdown.  If DoL decides to implement such
          procedures, agencies will be notified later this month.
          
43.   Q.  If I am eligible for unemployment compensation, what
          will my benefits be?

     A.   Benefits are based on salary and state benefit levels,
          as well as on the applicant's workplace or duty
          station.  According to the Department of Labor,
          unemployment benefits are based on the rules of the
          STATE IN WHICH THE EMPLOYEE'S DUTY STATION IS LOCATED. 
          The maximum unemployment benefit in the District
          currently is $347 a week; in Maryland, it's $250 a
          week, and in Virginia, $208 a week.  It is our
          intention to make DoL information available for other
          locations as well.

PERFORMANCE AWARDS AND WITHIN-GRADE INCREASES

44.  Q.   If an agency intends to grant performance awards to
          employees, can the payment be delayed until after the
          furlough?

     A.   Yes.   

45.  Q.   Are agencies required to pay performance awards to any
          group of employees, including those in the SES?

     A.   No.  

46.  Q.   May agencies deny or delay within-grade or step
          increases for white-collar and blue-collar employees?

     A.   Within-grade and step increases for white-collar and
          blue-collar employees are awarded on the basis of
          length of service and individual performance.  Such
          increases may not be denied or delayed solely because
          of lack of funds.  However, extended periods of nonpay
          status (e.g., because of a furlough for lack of funds)
          may affect the timing of such increases.  For example,
          a General Schedule employee in steps 1, 2, or 3 of the
          grade who is furloughed for more than 2 workweeks
          during the waiting period would have his or her within-
          grade increase delayed by at least a full pay period. 

FURLOUGH UNDER REDUCTION-IN-FORCE PROCEDURES (GENERAL)

47.  Q.   When is an agency required to use reduction-in-force
          (RIF) procedures to furlough employees?
    
     A.   Agencies must follow RIF procedures when furloughing
          employees for 31 or more continuous calendar days, or
          for 23 or more discontinuous workdays.  Furloughs for
          shorter periods are covered under Adverse Action
          procedures.

48.  Q.   Is there a maximum period an employee may be
          furloughed?

     A.   Yes.  An employee may be placed on a RIF furlough only
          when the agency plans to recall the employee to his or
          her position within 1 year.  Therefore, the furlough
          may not exceed 1 year.

49.  Q.   If an agency needs to furlough employees for more than
          30 calendar days (or 22 workdays), must the complete
          RIF procedures be followed?

     A.   Yes.  The complete RIF procedures must be followed,
          including a minimum 60 days specific written notice of
          the RIF furlough action.

50.  Q.   What happens to temporary employees serving under
          appointments limited to 1 year or less in RIF furlough
          situations?  

     A.   An agency may not retain a temporary employee in pay
          status to furlough a competing employee in the same
          competitive level.  Temporary employees may be either
          separated or furloughed in such situations, but they
          are not entitled to the protections of adverse actions
          or RIF procedures when this occurs.  

          Time spent in furlough status by temporary employees
          counts the same as time in a pay status toward their
          appointment's not-to-exceed date and the 2-year limit
          on their overall service.

                              -end-