Government Shutdown?

vamomtobe · September 2015

Any other feds out there watching the hill? It really sucked for everyone when we were shut down two years ago. Not knowing how long it would last, or whether we'd be paid, hearing all of the negativity directed at us and being told we were "unessential" and not able to do our jobs. Not to mention it's insane that our leadership is unable to function well enough to accomplish one of its most basic jobs of passing a budget. This time around, however, I'm thinking this could work out in my favor (as long as we get paid retroactively!). I don't have 12 weeks of leave saved up, so I was planning on taking leave without pay distributed across pay periods so I don't lose benefits. If we shut down, I might not have to take any leave without pay, depending on how long it lasts. There's also a selfish part of me that doesn't want to hand over my projects, and miss out on everything while I'm out. If we shut down, all work stops and I'll miss out on less! Of course, it would totally derail the timelines we're under but...

I think I just need something to distract me from the anxiety of wondering when I'll get to meet my daughter, so now I'm obsessing over stupid politics. Anyone else??

jefinley1 · September 2015

I hope to God this works out in your favor so at least something good can come from these idiots. Not all Fed workers, just the ones who somehow think it's OK to not pass a budget and then use the stopgaps as leverage with no care for the stability of the country while everything shuts down. The bipartisan incompetence astounds me. We look like idiots to the international community. And if it happens over something ridiculous like trying to defund Planned Parenthood, I will also have something really good to distract me from waiting for baby. Or to fuel me with enough frustration to get me through labor pains.

stormypetrel · September 2015

Coincidentally, I had my first in summer of 2013 and the last shut down extended my last maternity leave by nearly 2 weeks, AND it was paid! And I came back to work at a time when everyone had a clean slate. I'm due 9/29 and can't say I'll be too disappointed for another shut down, assuming they give back pay. Or even if they don't, I'm still taking a significant chunk of LWOP so it'll just be shifted around I guess.

The craziest part right now is just all the uncertainty.

vamomtobe · September 2015

jefinley1 said:

And if it happens over something ridiculous like trying to defund Planned Parenthood, I will also have something really good to distract me from waiting for baby. Or to fuel me with enough frustration to get me through labor pains.

LOL hopefully Congress's shenanigans will be far from our minds during labor, but you're so right. And you remind me that it's much more than "stupid politics" (quoting myself) at play, it's women's rights and the continued availability of the full suite of Planned Parenthood's services to women and families at stake. Didn't mean to downplay that! How twisted is it that I'm secretly hoping that Congress's efforts to defund an organization that supports women's access to reproductive healthcare will benefit me because the lack of universal, paid maternity leave in the US causes me to either go back to work before I'm ready, or forgo pay? I'm just thankful I'm in a position that I have the option to take unpaid leave. I know many can't afford that option.

jefinley1 · September 2015

vamomtobe said:

jefinley1 said:

And if it happens over something ridiculous like trying to defund Planned Parenthood, I will also have something really good to distract me from waiting for baby. Or to fuel me with enough frustration to get me through labor pains.

LOL hopefully Congress's shenanigans will be far from our minds during labor, but you're so right. And you remind me that it's much more than "stupid politics" (quoting myself) at play, it's women's rights and the continued availability of the full suite of Planned Parenthood's services to women and families at stake. Didn't mean to downplay that! How twisted is it that I'm secretly hoping that Congress's efforts to defund an organization that supports women's access to reproductive healthcare will benefit me because the lack of universal, paid maternity leave in the US causes me to either go back to work before I'm ready, or forgo pay? I'm just thankful I'm in a position that I have the option to take unpaid leave. I know many can't afford that option.

I would hope so, but I never know exactly what coping mechanism my brain is going to use. It might be a great distraction. Haha. Hence why, if it benefits you, you should just enjoy it. I'll be happy to know it's helping at least someone. The rest of it is so messed up on so many levels, that the least you can do is find the rays of sunshine.

ashleyturner0808 · September 2015

I work for the Federal Government but since I work for Inmigration we're paid by a different budget so we're not affected by shutdowns. However, my husband works for DOD and would be affected. I guess a good part would be that he would be able to save his leave and spend more time with the baby! So I'll take that as a plus!!

I talked to HR about FMLA/LWOP and spreading it over a period of time. The rep told me anytime I don't have 80 hours of fully paid time then I lose benefits. Please tell me that's not true! I only have 7 weeks of leave saved up. I don't want to go back that early and don't want to not get benefits. I'm really hoping my job continues to let me "hotel" (work from home exclusively). But could someone explain the LWOP? Thanks!!

ameares721 · September 2015

I never thought about how a shut down would affect my medical leave! I had furlough in 2013 and we ended up getting paid for it, but I have no idea how it would work when I'm on leave...

blsav23 · September 2015

jefinley1 said:

I hope to God this works out in your favor so at least something good can come from these idiots. Not all Fed workers, just the ones who somehow think it's OK to not pass a budget and then use the stopgaps as leverage with no care for the stability of the country while everything shuts down. The bipartisan incompetence astounds me. We look like idiots to the international community. And if it happens over something ridiculous like trying to defund Planned Parenthood, I will also have something really good to distract me from waiting for baby. Or to fuel me with enough frustration to get me through labor pains.

And this is why I love you.

vamomtobe · September 2015

@ashleyturner0808, someone recommended to me that I distribute my leave without pay between pay periods so I don't lose benefits instead of taking all the leave I've saved up and then taking the leave without pay at the end, but I still haven't talked to HR about what the minimum per pay period is (it can't be 80, can it??). Even if you invoke FMLA, I was told you lose benefits during that time. I'm not sure what LWOP is.

@ameares721, I assume that if we're shut down, we don't have leave deducted! It could really work out for us! Unless of course we don't get paid.

krae771 · September 2015

ashleyturner0808 I also work for federal govt and I am under the following impressions regarding FMLA:

-As long as you take any of your paid leave in each 2 week paid period, you will continue earning SL/AL (another reason to distribute whatever paid time you have)

-If you use LWOP during a 2 week pay period, you can keep your insurance but will have to pay the difference

With my last baby I had enough leave saved up that I never went LWOP however my coworker went LWOP a lot because she did not have enough SL/AL saved up and I am sure she had to have extra money taken out of her checks to cover health insurance.

Also my last baby was due late Sept 2013 so this exact same thing was happening then & I was very worried it was going to affect my health insurance coverage. Ridiculous!!

@vamomtobe - If you don't have enough sick or annual leave when you are off, you can still be off using FMLA but you don't get paid...so LWOP

ashleyturner0808 · September 2015

They really don't let it work in our favor (sigh). I'm going to dig into the OPM Policy tonight and call HR for clarification tomorrow. It really sickens me that the Fed Govt doesn't have maternity leave.

OperaSingerMommy · September 2015

OP, I'm so glad that you posted this. You've reminded me that I need to talk to my nurse practitioner tomorrow about how this might affect my family as well. DH is in the military and I'm planning to have this baby at our military hospital here. When all of this happened in 2013, they shut down the commissary, px, and other amenities on the military post and withheld pay for a couple of cycles. Everyone ended up getting paid eventually but I'll make sure to ask questions about how this might affect the hospital staff next month (hopefully medical care wouldn't be compromised!).

I hope that it doesn't come to a shutdown this time and I hope that everything works out with your job and with your leave!

stormypetrel · September 2015

I think a lot of this varies by agency but you shouldn't lose benefits- if you take so much LWOP that your paycheck doesn't cover your deductions, then you just have to pay them back. But evenly distributing your LWOP over the 12 weeks should mean you have enough paid leave to cover it.

It is also important that you take at least one day of paid leave either directly before or after a holiday- do not have a holiday surrounded by LWOP. Otherwise you will not get paid for the holiday.

lissabee21 · September 2015

Last government shut down I still had to go to work and not get paid for almost a month. It suckkkkkeed. But everyone who already had leave in got paid in the end and their leave wasn't even used! I should have taken a vacation for free days!

crbpjb · September 2015

IL govt is currently in a similar predicament. I'm a public employee, but luckily not a state employee. They've been operating without a budget since July, and this month they plan to stop paying medical I guess. Crazy! And awful! But this video makes it all better:

https://youtu.be/Ik1bdoufPt0

pkfinnerty · September 2015

I feel the same way about giving over projects. I'm super controlling and want things done MY way at work. I don't want anyone else doing my job! I feel like they're going to F it up and I'll have to clean up a mess when I get back! OR worse, what if they do a great job and my boss tells me when I get back to let them keep that job? ! Oh Heeeellllllll Nooooo!!!!
We've been going over my responsibilities and who will take on what and I keep saying- oh I can do that from home! And she's like No ma'am! I did the same thing with my maternity leave and I regretted it. I'm not letting you do that!
Ugh!!! I'm obsessed with my job...

devonsd315 · September 2015

I'm a federal employee as well, so I've been watching this closely, and I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't mind a few extra paid days off right before or after baby comes.

One thing I've been wondering about is sick leave. I believe you can only take sick leave for six weeks post-partum (vaginal delivery) or eight weeks for a c-section. So if baby comes while we are potentially shutdown, can I extend the time I take my sick leave? I think I would end up taking less sick leave, but would have to start my annual leave at the same time, even if I have sick leave available.

This is a good resource: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/leave-administration/fact-sheets/effect-of-extended-leave-without-pay-lwop-or-other-nonpay-status-on-federal-benefits-and-programs/

You will keep your benefits, you will just to pay the premiums later. And any time you go over 80 hours of LWOP (no matter how many pay periods it is spread over) you lose a pay period's worth of leave. If you earn six hours of leave a pay period (like me), you don't want to go over 80 hours LWOP in the last pay period of the year, because that is the pay period you actually earn 10 hours of leave, so you would forfeit 10 hours instead of six. Just something to be aware of.

tate62610 · September 2015

OperaSingerMommy said:

OP, I'm so glad that you posted this. You've reminded me that I need to talk to my nurse practitioner tomorrow about how this might affect my family as well. DH is in the military and I'm planning to have this baby at our military hospital here. When all of this happened in 2013, they shut down the commissary, px, and other amenities on the military post and withheld pay for a couple of cycles. Everyone ended up getting paid eventually but I'll make sure to ask questions about how this might affect the hospital staff next month (hopefully medical care wouldn't be compromised!).

I hope that it doesn't come to a shutdown this time and I hope that everything works out with your job and with your leave!

We had our DD during the shutdown in 2013. The hospital staff was minimal, the doctor at the time I was admitted came in and introduced himself twice with zero recollection of doing it before because he was so tired and they were running out of everything because they weren't allowed to order more supplies that weren't necessary to save lives. Soooo no diapers, no wipes, no pp mesh panties, running out of pads, I got the last pair of socks and no baby hats. All of that is stuff we can live without, it just sucked not having it. DH ran to the BX and got a huge case of wipes. We left most of them with the hospital.

tate62610 · September 2015

We would be so fucked if DH didn't get paid for 2 cycles.

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