The White House has issued special instructions for agencies impacted by the shutdown beginning on December 22, 2018. Due to the holidays, many members have inquired as to the status of any approved leave during the Christmas Holiday, as well as the possible forfeiture of “use of lose” annual leave already scheduled. The instructions supplementing the general guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) states that, “All scheduled paid leave and other paid time off (including paid holiday time off) are cancelled for lapse-affected employees during a lapse in appropriations,” but further states, “Intermittent unpaid absences are permitted for excepted employees (e.g., on days the employee was previously scheduled to take leave or be in holiday time off status during the workweek beginning on December 23). Excepted employees must be furloughed when excused from duty, if the absence cannot be accommodated with other work schedule flexibilities.”
To clarify, any employee who had prior annual leave scheduled will be permitted to be furloughed for the time period that they had approved leave. To review the special instructions issued by the White House, click here