Defense secretary Chuck Hagel’s announcement to reduce the number of furlough days imposed on civilian employees from 11 to 6 means that with few exceptions, this is the last week they must take an unpaid day off.
"With the end of the fiscal year next month, managers across the DoD are making final decisions necessary to ensure we make the $37 billion spending cuts mandated by sequestration, while also doing everything possible to limit damage to military readiness and our workforce," Hagel said in an announcement.
He said that furloughs were unavoidable after cutting back in other areas that had the effect of reducing readiness, but that after Congress granted a request in July allowing the department to move funds from acquisition accounts into day-to-day operating accounts it gained some flexibility. For example, the Air Force has resumed flying in key squadrons, and the Navy has restarted certain maintenance.
However, Hagel noted that if Congress does not end the sequester, DoD will be forced to cut an additional $52 billion in fiscal 2014, starting on October 1, which is 40 percent larger than the $37 in mandated cuts imposed this year.
