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President’s Message Regarding the Impending Federal Government Shutdown
September 28th, 2023
Members:
As you know, we are staring down a possible government shutdown, set to take effect this Sunday Oct 1st at 12:01 a.m. eastern time, if Congress does not pass either a full or short term funding package before then. As of this morning, we have not received any information about the shutdown plans from our agencies in the Department of the Interior. Our national affiliate the AFT has been working on Capitol Hill on our behalf.
For federal employees, a government shutdown will have severe consequences, as many of you know if you lived through the 2019 federal government shutdown. Because education funding for BIE is “front loaded” – meaning all funds for a given school year are received at the beginning of the school year- BIE employees and the work done in this agency have typically continued through the shutdown. Employees have been paid on a normal schedule.
Although we have been in daily contact with the BIA, AS/IA and the BTFA, these three agencies have not released to us any information about their protocols and plans. Past practice indicates that these agencies will shut down and essential workers will be required to continue working without pay.
When a shutdown goes into effect, you will not have access to your work email. For continued union updates, please send me your personal email. My email address is : sparton@fise-aft.org.
WHAT WE KNOW
Remember, this situation is in flux and can change rapidly. Unlike past shutdowns, many extremists in Congress are not even clear on what devastating cuts they want. For a rundown of the dynamics that have put us here check out articles shared on AFT’s Twitter handles from NBC.
Agencies across the federal government have developed shutdown contingency plans outlining which employees will be furloughed, which are exempt and expected to work (in most cases without pay until backpay is authorized by Congress) or in some cases work while being paid on a normal schedule. As of Thursday afternoon, the Department of Interior public shutdown contingency plan was from 2017.
Your manager should already have been in contact with you to let you know whether you will be furloughed or whether you are essential and will be working with or without pay. If you have not heard from your manager, please notify me.
Unemployment Insurance
NOTE: We are providing general guidance only regarding unemployment insurance, that might not apply to every situation. Only your state UI office can tell you precisely what benefits you may qualify for and how repayment may be made once you receive backpay at the conclusion of the furlough.
Federal workers who are not being paid may apply for unemployment insurance. It’s important to keep in mind that you may be back at work before your unemployment claim is approved and payments start. It typically takes two to three weeks after you file your claim to receive your first benefit check, according to the Department of Labor. If you decide to apply for unemployment insurance, applying as soon as you are furloughed is recommended. Because unemployment insurance programs vary by state, we strongly encourage you to call your local UI office to fully understand how applying for UI during the furlough may affect your specific situation. If a shutdown is short-lived, you can always cancel your claim. If the shutdown turns out to be short-lived, you will be required to repay your state unemployment benefits once you get your back pay. If you don’t give the money back, you could get your wages garnished. It varies state by state, but some states may allow you to repay unemployment insurance benefits on a schedule versus all at once.
Health Insurance
For those enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program (FEHB), coverage continues even if you don’t receive a paycheck and the agency does not make premium payments on time, according to past guidance from the federal Office of Personnel Management. You and your family should continue to use your health insurance during the shutdown. Remember that your share of the premiums will accumulate and be deducted when the lapse ends and you return to paid status.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
As soon as the union knows more, I will share any updates with the paid membership. Other information can be found on our website. The severity of the situation and how preventable it is are deeply frustrating. Know that our union, both locally in FISE and nationally with our affiliate the AFT, are working hard to pressure the agencies and lawmakers to avert this government shutdown.
If you have any questions or information to share, please do not hesitate to contact me at the contact below.
In solidarity,
Sue Parton
President
Federation of Indian Service Employees/AFT
Member of the Kiowa tribe of Oklahoma
(505) 243-4088
AFT’s Federal Workers Brace for a Shutdown
We are hours away from a completely unwarranted shutdown of the federal government on Oct. 1 that could cause 1.8 million workers―including hundreds of AFT members―to stop receiving their paychecks until Congress funds the government. As negotiations over funding come to a head, MAGA Republicans continue to demand cuts to essential programs that working families rely on, including Social Security, housing, education and climate. Members of the Federation of Indian Service Employees Local 4524 will immediately be impacted. These members work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the office of the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Trust Fund Administration, all in the U.S. Department of the Interior.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
NATIONAL OFFICE ELECTION RESULTS
We are pleased to announce the National Office Election Results. As you are aware, nominations for elected officials for the Federation of Indian Service Employees ended April 4, 2022.
We received the following nominations:
L. Sue Parton, for the office of President
David Campbell, for the office of Vice President
James Gertner, for the office of Secretary/Treasurer
Each of the nominees accepted their respective nominations. When there is only one person nominated for a position, that person automatically wins. Because none of the positions were contested this election cycle, the nominees were placed into the positions by default and no further election proceedings are required. Consequently, you will not receive a ballot or any additional election materials this election cycle.
Congratulations to Sue, Dave, and Jim, who will begin their new terms of office on July 1, 2022!
President’s message for FISE
January newsletter
As we begin 2022, our union is busy engaging with the employer on a number of important issues for our members in the BIA, BIE, AS-IA and the BTFA. We meet with management monthly in a labor management setting. This has been very useful to share issues and information to provide the best services to Indian country.
AFT members defend students and tribal culture
The Rio Grande rushes alongside San Felipe Pueblo’s main village, a sacred place with an adobe church, its great wooden door framed on either side by a life-size fresco of a horse. Founded in 1706, north of Albuquerque, N.M., and the Sandia Mountains, the pueblo is a place where people know one another, where elders are revered and where no photographs are allowed.
LAWSUIT AGAINST DOI
PERTAINING TO GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN IN 2018-2019
Were you forced to work during the government shutdown without pay, or delayed pay? If so, you may be eligible to join the lawsuit that the Union has filed against the federal government.