The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has prepared human resources guidance for agencies and employees in the event of furloughs. There are two types of furloughs -

An administrative furlough is a planned event by an agency which is designed to absorb reductions necessitated by downsizing, reduced funding, lack of work, or any budget situation other than a lapse in appropriations. Furloughs that would potentially result from sequestration would generally be considered administrative furloughs. 

A shutdown furlough (also called an emergency furlough) occurs when there is a lapse in appropriations, and can occur at the beginning of a fiscal year, if no funds have been appropriated for that year, or upon expiration of a continuing resolution, if a new continuing resolution or appropriations law is not passed. In a shutdown furlough, an affected agency would have to shut down any activities funded by annual appropriations that are not excepted by law. Typically, an agency will have very little to no lead time to plan and implement a shutdown furlough.

This page provides information on shutdown furloughs.  This guidance applies to activities that are funded by annual appropriations. Some agency functions have alternative funding sources and, as a result, are not directly affected by a lapse in annual appropriations. Employees performing those functions will generally continue to be governed by the normal pay, leave, and other civil service rules. Agencies should consult with their legal counsel if they have further questions concerning this distinction. Employees should consult with their human resources office.

Guidance

• Special Instructions for Agencies Affected by a Possible Lapse in Appropriations Starting on October 1, 2021

OMB Guidance

• OMB - Agency Contingency Plans

Historical Shutdown Furlough Guidance

• Sample Letters for Furloughed Employees' Creditors (2019)
• CPM 2019-06, Pay and Benefits for Employees Affected by the Lapse in Appropriations (January 27, 2019)
• OMB Memorandum M-19-09 Reopening Departments and Agencies
• Fact Sheet: Pay and Benefits Information for Employees Affected by the Lapse in Appropriations - UPDATE (Jan 23, 2019)
  • Printer Friendly Version 
• Memorandum: Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (Jan 23, 2019)
• Memorandum: Telework and other Workplace Flexibilities for Excepted Employees during a Lapse in Appropriations (Jan 23, 2019)
• OMB - Agency Contingency Plans (2018)
• OMB Circular A-11, Agency Operations in the Absence of Appropriations 2018
• OMB Special Instructions for Agencies Affected by a Possible Lapse in Appropriations Starting on Dec 22, 2018
• OMB Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations (Dec 18, 2018)
• OMB Memorandum M-18-05 Planning for Agency Operations during a Potential Lapse in Appropriations (Jan 19, 2018)
• Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs (Sep 2015)
  • Table of Recent Changes
• FAQs for Retroactive Paychecks for the September 22 through October 5, 2013 Biweekly Pay Period (Oct 22, 2013)
• OPM Memorandum to Agencies on Retroactive Pay and Other Matters (Oct 17, 2013)
• Information on Paychecks for September 22 through October 5, 2013 Pay Period (Oct 11, 2013)
• Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs (Oct 11, 2013)
• OMB Memorandum M-13-22, Planning for Agency Operations during a Potential Lapse in Appropriations (Sep 17, 2013)
• OMB Bulletin M-95-18 transmitting Agency Plans for Operations During Funding Hiatus, August 16 DOJ opinion, (Aug 22, 1995)
• OMB Memorandum M-91-02, Agency Operations in the Absence of Appropriations, (Oct 5, 1990)
• OMB Bulletin No. 80-14, Supplement No. 1, Agency Operations in the Absence of Appropriations, (Aug 20, 1982)
• OMB Memorandum, Agency Operations in the Absence of Appropriations, (Nov 17, 1981)
• OMB Bulletin 80-14, Shutdown of Agency Operations Upon Failure by the Congress to Enact Appropriations, (Aug 28, 1980)

An administrative furlough is a planned event by an agency which is designed to absorb reductions necessitated by downsizing, reduced funding, lack of work, or any budget situation other than a lapse in appropriations. Furloughs that would potentially result from sequestration would generally be considered administrative furloughs.

• Guidance for Administrative Furloughs (March 2017)
• Points of Contact

Important Unemployment Insurance Resources for Federal Agencies and Employees

Unemployment Insurance Information for Federal Workers:

• Unemployment Insurance Questions and Answers for Federal Workers (December 2018)
• Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees Fact Sheet (December 2018)
• Quick Reference Table of State Unemployment Insurance Laws
• Map of State Unemployment Insurance Websites
• Federal Identification Code (FIC) Chart (December 3, 2018)
  (Note: The FIC code is the first 3 digits in the chart.)

Unemployment Insurance Information for Federal Agencies:

• Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees Instructions for Federal Agencies
• Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees Frequently Asked Questions for Federal Agencies (December 2018)
• Federal Identification Code (FIC) Chart (December 3, 2018)
  (Note: The FIC code is the first 3 digits in the chart.)

For further information on the procedural requirements for taking furlough actions and the rights and entitlements which accrue to employees in a furlough status, agency human resources specialists may contact the following OPM offices. (Please note that these contacts may not be available during a furlough that affects OPM.) Employees must contact their agency human resources office for information.

Contact Information by Topic

Documentation of Furlough Actions

202-606-4415*
persdoc@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Office of the Chief Information Officer
1900 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20415

Furloughing SES Appointees

202-606-8046
sespolicy@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
ES/SESPM/ERPM
1900 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20415

Furloughs Under 5 CFR Part 752 (Adverse Actions)

202-606-2930
awr@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Accountability and Workforce Relations, Employee Services
1900 E Street, NW Suite 7H28
Washington, DC 20415

Labor Relations

202-606-2930
awr@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Accountability and Workforce Relations, Employee Services
1900 E Street, NW Suite 7H28
Washington, DC 20415

Pay and Leave

202-606-2858
pay-leave-policy@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Pay and Leave, Employee Services
1900 E Street, NW Room 7H31
Washington, DC 20415

Performance Management

202-606-2720
performance-management@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
ES/SESPM/ERPM
1900 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20415

Reduction in Force, Details, and Outside Employment

202-606-0960
employ@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Employee Services
Recruitment and Hiring, Hiring Policy
1900 E Street, NW Room 6500
Washington, DC 20415

Retirement, Health Benefits, and Life Insurance

Contact the Retirement Counselor or Insurance Officer for your agency. (List of Agency Benefits Officers.) Benefits officers may contact OPM's Benefits Officers Training and Development at the appropriate phone number or email address below.

Benefits Officers Training and Development (Retirement Inquiries)

202-606-0788
benefits@opm.gov
1900 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20415

Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance Program

202-606-1413
fegli@opm.gov
1900 E Street NW, Room 3420
Washington, DC 20415

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

202-606-1234
fehb@opm.gov
1900 E Street, NW Room 3420
Washington, DC 20415

Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program

202-606-1413
ltc@opm.gov
1900 E Street NW, Room 3420
Washington, DC 20415

Flexible Spending Accounts for Federal Employees

202-606-1413
fsa@opm.gov
1900 E Street NW, Room 3420
Washington, DC 20415

Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program

202-606-1413
fedvip@opm.gov (Claims Issues)
1900 E Street, NW Room 3420
Washington, DC 20415

* Hearing impaired users may utilize the Federal Relay Service by dialing 1-800-877-8339** to reach a Communications Assistant (CA). The CA will dial the requested number and relay the conversation between a standard (voice) telephone user and text telephone (TTY) user.

** Visiting the Federal Relay Service website will provide access to additional Toll-Free and Toll Access Numbers.

Back to top