Furlough, timeline set for civilian employees Published July 3, 2013 By Brandice J. O'Brien Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- An administrative furlough is set to take place this fiscal year and will affect most Department of Defense civil service employees. Most decision letters have been distributed and the furlough is scheduled to commence the week of July 8. It will consist of up to 11 unpaid leave days occurring once a week until all the days are served. Air Force Sustainment Center and most tenants have selected to observe the furlough day on Fridays. Decisions on the actual furlough days are made by the commanders or their designees. Deviations from the schedule of two furlough days per pay period, should be mission-based. When the commander designates a specific day of the week as a furlough day, individual variations of the designated furlough day are not authorized. Employees were given seven days from when they received their proposing furlough letter to respond. Deciding Officials have since reviewed the oral/written replies and provided decision notices to employees. Personnel officials advise that if you are an appropriated fund employee and have not received a decision letter or alternate furlough communication, you should contact your supervisor for clarification. Employees are allowed to take leave during the furlough period so long as it falls on scheduled workdays. Employees may seek secondary employment with permission from their supervisors. During the furlough period, no compensatory time, no overtime can be worked and alternate work schedules, telework, and flextime schedules may be adjusted or cancelled during furlough. Credit hours, if your organization uses them, will need supervisor's pre-approval and cannot be carried over from one pay period to the next. No more than 64 hours may be worked within a pay period. There are several groups of people who are exempt from the furlough to include some firefighters, police officers, childcare workers and some medical services personnel. Offices where there are limited personnel and whose critical mission will fail if manning is compromised, are also exempt from the furlough. AFSC officials note that there are still discussions taking place at the Congressional and Secretary of Defense levels to try to reduce the number of days. However, to date, no decisions have been made. If there are any reductions they would most likely be taken off the furlough dates from the end of the fiscal year. "This is a stressful time for many now that furloughs seem to have become a reality," said AFSC Executive Director Ross Marshall. "One thing Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, AFSC commander, and I have seen across our entire sustainment center organization is the strong, resilient spirit of our workforce. Keep focused on the mission, look out for each other, and help meet our warfighter's needs." The furlough is expected to run through Sept. 21.