Government Shutdown?

[thinfool]

On 12/21/2018 at 7:55 AM, ontheweb said:

We need to renew our passports; will a shutdown affect that?

from State.gov...

 

"We continue to offer passport services during the lapse of appropriations for the federal government. Please note we will be closed for scheduled federal holidays on December 24 and 25 and will reopen on December 26.

You can still apply for a U.S. passport book or passport card at all passport agencies and centers and acceptance facilities (such as U.S. post offices, libraries, or county clerk’s offices) during the lapse of appropriations. You can also renew your passport by mail. Our processing times remain the same: 4-6 weeks for routine service and 2-3 weeks for expedited service."

Edited December 26, 2018 by thinfool

[Aquahound]

18 hours ago, rubytue said:

But I know others who have to cancel family travel plans be at home so they can go in tomorrow for 2 hours to sign their notices. 

 

That's very poor management.

[ontheweb]

21 hours ago, thinfool said:

from State.gov...

 

"We continue to offer passport services during the lapse of appropriations for the federal government. Please note we will be closed for scheduled federal holidays on December 24 and 25 and will reopen on December 26.

You can still apply for a U.S. passport book or passport card at all passport agencies and centers and acceptance facilities (such as U.S. post offices, libraries, or county clerk’s offices) during the lapse of appropriations. You can also renew your passport by mail. Our processing times remain the same: 4-6 weeks for routine service and 2-3 weeks for expedited service."

Thank you for answering my question.

[Aquahound]

If there's a silver lining to this shutdown, it's that all the effected civilians were still paid yesterday because this pay period ended before the shutdown.  Furthermore, the USCG worked with DHS and POTUS to work out a deal to get paid on the 31st.  

 

The next civilian pay day is Jan 11 and military Jan 15.  Hopefully they reach a deal before then or else all will go without a check. 

[SRF]

16 hours ago, Aquahound said:

The next civilian pay day is Jan 11 and military Jan 15.  Hopefully they reach a deal before then or else all will go without a check. 

 

1)  Uuh, the next civilian pay date is Jan 2.  Jan is a 3 pay day month.

2)  If that pay is based on time spent in the shutdown, it will not be a full pay.  It will only be pay for non-shutdown days.  Later, they will pass a bill to pay people the missed pay (maybe, they could just not pay the people), and if so, they will be paid after that.  Actually the pay on Jan 2 is for the pay period ending Dec 22, so most people will get a full paycheck. The next one will be short.

3)  Not everyone will go without a check.  Some groups have zero year funds and are still working and will be paid.

[Aquahound]

4 hours ago, SRF said:

 

1)  Uuh, the next civilian pay date is Jan 2.  Jan is a 3 pay day month.

 

 

Uuh, for what department?  Everyone on the GSA pay calendar got paid Friday the 28th.  The Jan pay dates are 11 and 25.  The 2019 months with 3 pay days are May and November, not January.

 

[onboard2005]

The OP asked a simple question if anyone knows what effect the shutdown is having on travel.

Such as the TSA, customs, and wait lines for flights.  I started reading this thread for the information.

 

Keep with the topic and leave the political rants off the boards.

[SRF]

18 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

Uuh, for what department?  Everyone on the GSA pay calendar got paid Friday the 28th.  The Jan pay dates are 11 and 25.  The 2019 months with 3 pay days are May and November, not January.

 

 

GSA 2018 pay calendar - https://www.gsa.gov/cdnstatic/GSA_Payroll_Calendar_2018.pdf

 

December pay dates are 5 and 19.  But it does show Dec 28, but I did not get paid that date.

 

GSA 2019 pay calendar - https://www.gsa.gov/cdnstatic/GSA Payroll Calendar 2019_0.pdf

 

It does not show Jan 2 as pay date, but shows Jan 16 and 30.  

 

OK, you are going by EFT dates.  My pay gets deposited on the Wednesday shown as the Check Pay Date.  We are not under National Finance Center.

[davekathy]

18 hours ago, onboard2005 said:

The OP asked a simple question if anyone knows what effect the shutdown is having on travel.

Such as the TSA, customs, and wait lines for flights.  I started reading this thread for the information.

 

Keep with the topic and leave the political rants off the boards.

Funny, I didn't notice your name listed as one of the CC moderators. 

[new_cruiser]

We went through Sacramento airport today (on our way to Panama City for our first Panama Canal & Costa Rica cruise 😁). The check in desk area was extremely crowded ( we weren't able to get our boarding passes on line), so it was a busy time & didn't bode well for the security line.

 

However, when we got upstairs, the lines were short and moving well. Staffing seemed to be at normal level. Our interactions we're brief as we were TSA pre-check, but I saw an agent helping someone traveling with two little kids to get their stuff from over to one of the benches. Didn't seem to be any attitude issues.

[jainnys]

We got a credit for $11.x per person. (23-30dec) Cruise

[rubytue]

On 12/30/2018 at 10:29 AM, Aquahound said:

 

Uuh, for what department?  Everyone on the GSA pay calendar got paid Friday the 28th.  The Jan pay dates are 11 and 25.  The 2019 months with 3 pay days are May and November, not January.

 

Not all civilians get paid the same day. I’ve worked for a small regulatory agency (so small it would be indentifying to post) and DoD. When I switched I had to go 3 weeks between pay days, and then got two paychecks in a row when I left DoD for another agency. 

[Aquahound]

34 minutes ago, rubytue said:

Not all civilians get paid the same day. I’ve worked for a small regulatory agency (so small it would be indentifying to post) and DoD. When I switched I had to go 3 weeks between pay days, and then got two paychecks in a row when I left DoD for another agency. 

 

I realize that, but are those agencies shut down?  The topic of getting paid started when I mentioned those actually effected still got paid last week.  I wasn't referring to the 75% of the govt that wasn't shut down.  

[rubytue]

50 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

I realize that, but are those agencies shut down?  The topic of getting paid started when I mentioned those actually effected still got paid last week.  I wasn't referring to the 75% of the govt that wasn't shut down.  

Ahh! That’s a point. Not sure if everyone furloughed is on the same pay schedule. And I know some who aren’t furloughed have outsourced pay to DoI, which is furloughed. My friends in that situation haven’t heard if there will be issues with that. But they paycheck we got last week was for work back in December. It’s the next one that will be missing. But that was probably your point and I’m preaching to the choir here lol. I’ll slink away now

[Aquahound]

13 hours ago, rubytue said:

 It’s the next one that will be missing. But that was probably your point and I’m preaching to the choir here lol. I’ll slink away now

 

 

No worries.  😊  But yes, that was exactly what I as saying.  

[SRF]

18 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

I realize that, but are those agencies shut down?  The topic of getting paid started when I mentioned those actually effected still got paid last week.  I wasn't referring to the 75% of the govt that wasn't shut down.  

 

Parts of my agency are shutdown.  My part has zero year funds, so we have gotten to work through every shutdown so far.

[SRF]

17 hours ago, rubytue said:

Ahh! That’s a point. Not sure if everyone furloughed is on the same pay schedule. And I know some who aren’t furloughed have outsourced pay to DoI, which is furloughed. My friends in that situation haven’t heard if there will be issues with that. But they paycheck we got last week was for work back in December. It’s the next one that will be missing. But that was probably your point and I’m preaching to the choir here lol. I’ll slink away now

 

I suspect the pay people are essential.  Otherwise, a lot of people who are not furloughed, will be missing their paycheck.

 

[Underwatr]

For what it's worth, clearing immigration in Brooklyn New York today after our cruise was as quick and simple as I've ever seen it there.

[Canuker]

You'll be glad to know that the folk involved with things like weather forecasting are still on the job, as are coast guards and maritime specialists in currents, tides, navigation, etc. I think, as cruisers, we can have the same level of confidence in the US cruise public sector support as we did before the 'shutdown'.

[slidergirl]

TSA screeners have started a "blue out", calling off sick.  Some are doing it in protest of being forced to work without pay, some are doing it because they have to watch their kids because they can't afford the child care right now, some are out looking for other jobs.  Your flying could be less safe, according to the union, because screening corners will be cut to try to avoid lines more than 30 minutes (less hand screening, allowing non-Pre Check people to use Pre Check, etc.).  

[Aquahound]

9 hours ago, slidergirl said:

TSA screeners have started a "blue out", calling off sick.  

 

That's pretty stupid of them.  Sick or otherwise, if an exempted employee doesn't come to work, they have to be placed in a furlough status for that day.  It involves paperwork that goes in their file.  They're taking a chance they wont be back-paid for those days....even more of a chance than already exists.  

 

It's also an attempted abuse of sick leave which equates to fraud.  They could lose their jobs and maybe even face charges.  Again, it a pretty stupid thing to do.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Aquahound

[cruising cockroach]

7 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

That's pretty stupid of them.  Sick or otherwise, if an exempted employee doesn't come to work, they have to be placed in a furlough status for that day.  It involves paperwork that goes in their file.  They're taking a chance they wont be back-paid for those days....even more of a chance than already exists.  

 

It's also an attempted abuse of sick leave which equates to fraud.  They could lose their jobs and maybe even face charges.  Again, it a pretty stupid thing to do.

 

 

It's not sick leave.  These people (there are a good many people who don't have enough savings or financial means to go without a pay check or two) need cash flow and need their biweekly pay now.  They cannot wait "months or year" so they're picking up jobs from whoever can pay them when due.  Unless you want to extend them interest-free payday loans.....

[davekathy]

8 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

That's pretty stupid of them.  Sick or otherwise, if an exempted employee doesn't come to work, they have to be placed in a furlough status for that day.  It involves paperwork that goes in their file.  They're taking a chance they wont be back-paid for those days....even more of a chance than already exists.  

 

It's also an attempted abuse of sick leave which equates to fraud.  They could lose their jobs and maybe even face charges.  Again, it a pretty stupid thing to do.

Agree. When placed in furloughed status whether you are told to report to work or stay home Annual Leave, Comp Leave or Sick Leave isn't an option. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by davekathy

[Aquahound]

22 minutes ago, cruising cockroach said:

 

 

It's not sick leave.  These people (there are a good many people who don't have enough savings or financial means to go without a pay check or two) need cash flow and need their biweekly pay now.  They cannot wait "months or year" so they're picking up jobs from whoever can pay them when due.  Unless you want to extend them interest-free payday loans.....

 

Who is "you?"  Me?  FYI, I work for DHS and I'm working without a paycheck right now.  No one understands what these people are going through better than me and about 800,000 of my fellow effected workers.  But regardless, I do not...and will not...condone criminal behavior.  

[cruising cockroach]

Well, you have savings.  Good for you.  A lot of your colleagues may not be so fortunate.

 

Let's check back in a month if this is still on going (good thing I am not in the U.S., just uncomfortably close).