Government Furloughs ARE NOT expected in October

Despite recent chatter about agency employees’ jobs, OPM (Office of Personnel Management) Director, Margaret Weichert, has assured agency employees their jobs are safe. This comes from concerns about potential consolidation of the OPM and the General Services Administration (GSA).

The most recent discussions placed about 150 workers at risk. This action means the workers may be laid off later this year. Weichert informed Congress that the process to move job functions from OPM to GSA would need to begin by the last day of June. A $23 million budget gap exist. This is caused, in part, by the transfer of Defense Department background Investigations.

A town hall meeting for all agency employees was conducted recently by Weichert, to discuss recent developments and to reassure employees that everything possible is being done to avoid layoffs.

Still, a smooth consolidation will require much more work be done. Employees continue to express doubts and concerns as to the value of their work and the precise steps needed to complete the merger. The challenge is to determine how a transaction would take place and the wording of inter-agency agreements.