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A group of senators introduced legislation Thursday to explicitly prohibit reduction-in-force notices from being issued to federal employees during a government shutdown.
NTEU and other unions are in court arguing that shutdown RIFs are not permitted under current law, and there is court-ordered injunction blocking them for now. The Securing Assurance for Federal Employees (SAFE) Act, introduced Thursday in the Senate, would state explicitly that it is the intent of Congress that no administration may ever use a shutdown to conduct mass layoffs.
The bill is sponsored by Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia; Chris Van Hollen of Maryland; Chuck Schumer of New York; Mazie Hirono of Hawaii; Tim Kaine of Virginia; Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland; Tammy Duckworth of Illinois; Ron Wyden of Oregon; Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut; and Andy Kim of New Jersey.
“To be furloughed without pay and receive a layoff notice is devastating to federal employees who simply want to do the job they were hired to do and serve their country,” said NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald in announcing NTEU’s support for the bill.