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. Go to Guidance for Administrative Furloughs and Supplemental Guidance for Administrative Furloughs for more information.

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 and Points of Contact

• Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs
• Points of Contact

OMB Guidance

Below are OMB bulletins and memoranda that were used in connection with past furloughs.

• OMB Memorandum M-12-03, Planning for Agency Operations During a Lapse in Government Funding (December 15, 2011)
• OMB Circular A-11, August 2011
• OMB Bulletin M-95-18 transmitting 8/16/95 Department of Justice opinion, (August 22, 1995)
• OMB Memorandum M-91-02, Agency Operations in the Absence of Appropriations, (October 5, 1990)
• OMB Bulletin No. 80-14, Supplement No. 1, Agency Operations in the Absence of Appropriations, (August 20, 1982)
• OMB Memorandum, Agency Operations in the Absence of Appropriations, (November 17, 1981)
• OMB Bulletin 80-14, Shutdown of Agency Operations Upon Failure by the Congress to Enact Appropriations, (August 28, 1980)

• Guidance for Administrative Furloughs
• Supplemental Guidance for Administrative Furloughs
• Points of Contact

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

202-606-8049
sespolicy@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
ES/ERED/ERPMP
1900 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20415

Furloughs Under 5 CFR Part 752 (Adverse Actions)

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

Labor Relations

202-606-2930
plr@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Partnership and Labor 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
perform-mgmt@opm.gov
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
ES/ERED/ERPMP
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

Insurance Policy and Information Division (Life Insurance Inquiries)

202-606-0191
fegli@opm.gov
1900 E Street NW, Room 3420
Washington, DC 20415

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

202-606-1000
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