Furloughed civilian employees will be in a non-duty, non-pay status. In accordance with (IAW) the Antideficiency Act (31 U.S.C. 1341-1342), it is illegal to accept voluntary work from them and/or direct/instruct them to perform work, whether at their worksite, home or other locations. Commanders and supervisors should not direct furloughed employees to perform any work whatsoever. See also the OPM Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs and the AFPC Shutdown Furlough Preparation Guide for more operational guidance.

A shutdown (also called an emergency) furlough is the placing of an employee in a temporary non-duty, non-pay status because there is a lapse in appropriations, upon expiration of a continuing resolution, or if a new continuing resolution or appropriation law is not enacted. If appropriations lapse, there will be no funds remaining to operate and the agency must shutdown activities that are not excepted by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards.  As provided in the Department of War's, September 2025, "Contingency Plan Guidance for Continuation of Essential Operations in the Absence of Available Appropriations" memorandum, such exceptions include:

• Statutes that expressly authorize incurring obligations in advance of appropriations;
• Emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property;
• Functions necessary to discharge the President's constitutional duties; and
• Activities necessary for the orderly shutdown of activities that do not fall within one of the above categories.

Note, the above listing is not all-inclusive and does not identify every excepted activity.

A shutdown furlough should not be confused with an administrative furlough, which is a planned event by an agency, designed to absorb reductions necessitated by downsizing, reduced funding, lack of work, or additional budget situation(s) other than a lapse in appropriations.  Although shutdown furloughs are not planned events per se, the expiration date of the current defense appropriations bill or short-term continuing resolution (CR) (whichever is applicable) is always a known.  Therefore, furlough preparation and planning should always commence at least T-30 to 45 days prior to the expiration of the appropriations bill or the CR. Preparation and planning includes reviewing and updating contingency plans, developing communication plans should a furlough be implemented, reviewing and updating furlough indicator codes (FICs), communicating the furlough status to each employee individually, and preparing the furlough notifications letters.

The enactment of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (Public Law (PL) 116-1, January 16, 2019) which amended  Section 1341 of Title 31 U.S.C. provides that employees are authorized to receive retroactive pay in the case of a shutdown furlough. The retroactive pay for Federal employees affected by a lapse in appropriations is effective as soon as possible after the lapse in appropriation ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates, and subject to the enactment of appropriations Acts ending the lapse.  Note:  If an employee was scheduled to be in a non-pay status prior (before) to the lapse, that employee is not entitled to retroactive pay.  Under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, during a future shutdown the Act also guarantees coverage for insurance premiums such as life, health, vision, dental, etc. 

Section 1341(c)(3) of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 also established a new requirement, providing that excepted employees who are required to perform work during a lapse in appropriations "shall be entitled to use leave" but that compensation for the leave will be paid after the lapse ends. The use of such paid leave is subject to the normally applicable rules for scheduling/using leave.

While excepted employees have the option to use their paid leave (i.e., establish entitlement to paid leave to be paid after the lapse ends), they are not required to use leave to cover periods of authorized absence from work. Instead, they may choose to remain in the default status of being furloughed during any such authorized absence during the lapse. We expect employees generally to choose to allow the default furlough status to be applied to any approved absence, since section 1341(c)(2) provides retroactive pay for furlough periods without charge to leave. (See "Treatment of Furloughed Employees" section). The employee will need to receive a furlough notification letter should they choose to be furloughed.  Access the full PL here, Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019.

Actions to Implement an Orderly Shutdown
• Actions to Implement an Orderly Shutdown (Sept 2025) - updated 30 Sept 25
Actions Required to Return Furloughed Employees 
• SAF/MR Memo, Return of Civilian Workforce from Furlough - 12 Nov 25
• Post Shutdown Furlough Timesheet Update Guide - 12 Nov 25 

Benefits Administration Letter 
DAF Potential Resources for Utilization During a Furlough 
Local (Antelope Valley) Food Bank Listings
EAP Member Brochure
Potential Resources for Utilization During Furlough
Unemployment Compensation During a Furlough
SF-8 Unemployment Form 
OPM Memo - Pay and Benefits for EEs Affected by Lapse - 12 Nov 25
DCPAS Memo - Unemployment Compensation for Federal Civilians - 04 Dec 25 

• DoD Orderly Shutdown Checklist - Sept 25
• Supervisor Script for Formal Furlough Notice - 30 Sept 25
• Talking Points for Supervisors - Employee Furlough Notification

• AFMCs FAQ
• OMB Shutdown FAQs - 03 Oct 25
• DAF FAQs
• SAF Civ Pay FAQs - 10 Nov 25
• myFSS FAQs
• DCPAS Shutdown Furlough FAQs
• Edwards AFB Furlough FAQs 

As part of furlough preparation and planning, each CPS should establish procedures for review and updates of the FIC.  An accurate FIC is an integral part of the process for furlough.  Each employee must be designated with one of the following codes:

"F" (Subject to Furlough) - Employees who are not necessary to carry out or support excepted activities and who will be furloughed in the event of a lapse in appropriations.  These employees would report for duty on their next scheduled duty day after a lapse in appropriations in order to perform orderly shutdown activities.  Once an appropriation or continuing resolution (CR) is passed, employees impacted by furlough will be paid retroactively.
"E" (Exempt) - Employees whose salaries are paid from a DoW appropriation or fund that has sufficient funding authority (e.g., multi-year appropriations with available balances from prior years), and who will not be subject to furlough.  Exempt employees would continue to report work and be paid as normal.
"X" (Excepted) - Employees who have been identified under an excepted activity (a function excepted under the DoW Guidance for Continuing Operations) and who will continue to work during furlough. Pay will be delayed until appropriations are approved.

Exempt Activities (FIC Code =E)

The term "exempted" is used to refer to employees whose salaries are paid from a DoW appropriation or fund that has sufficient funding authority (e.g., multi-year appropriations with available balances from prior years), and who will not be subject to furlough. Exempted Activities must be appropriately identified and documented with the following codes:

N - Furlough Exempt - Not Affected by Annually Appropriated Funds (e.g., Non-Appropriated Funds or Working Capital Funds)
O - Furlough Exempt - Other

Excepted Activities (FIC Code =X)

The term "excepted" is used to refer to employees who are funded through annual appropriations who are nonetheless excepted from the furlough because they are performing work that, by law, may continue to be performed during a lapse in appropriations. The Antideficiency Act prohibits Federal agencies from incurring obligations that are in advance of, or that exceed, an appropriation. No obligations may be made to support a non-excepted activity during a lapse in appropriations, as that is a violation of the Antideficiency Act. Management officials must thoroughly review DoD Shutdown Guidance which provides detailed information on activities that have been designated as "excepted."  Such excepted situations that must continue by law include: (1) to ensure the safety of human life, protection of property, and security of our nation.

Excepted Activities must be appropriately identified and documented with the following codes.  If the activity doesn't meet one of the categories already outlined in the DoW Contingency Planning Guidance, the activity is not "excepted", and the employee should be furloughed. For more information on excepted activities, review the memorandum(s) in the section to the right under “Furlough Planning Guidance.”

List of "excepted" activities and the coding:

• A - Acquisition and Logistic Support
• F - Financial Management
• G – Legislative and Public Affairs Support
• I - Audit and Investigation Community
• L - Legal Activities
• M - Medical/Dental Care
• O – Other (Note:  This category is a placeholder in DCPDS should the DSW identify an activity where a code does not exist).
• P – Safety of Human Life or Protection of Life (National Security)
• R - Morale, Welfare & Recreation/NAF
• S - Safety of Person and Protection of Property
• T - Education and Training
• U – Activities Funded with Unobligated, Unexpired Balances
• W - Working Capital Fund/Revolving Funds

Supervisors must ensure that employees limit work only to shutdown activities, and that all non-excepted activities that would create new obligations are terminated as part of the orderly shutdown.