800,000 DoD Employees Facing Furlough Over Sequester

Barack Obama, who says he cares deeply about jobs, has now caused 800,000 civilian workers for the Pentagon to face as many as 22 days off without pay as a result of sequestration cuts. The workers may lose one paid day per week through September, starting March 1st.

In a statement to affected employees, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wrote:

We are doing everything possible to limit the worst effects on DOD personnel — but I regret that our flexibility within the law is extremely limited. The president has used his legal authority to exempt military personnel funding from sequestration, but we have no legal authority to exempt civilian personnel funding from reductions.

Between $4-5 billion would be saved as a result of the cuts said Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale. People excepted from the furloughs would include foreign workers on overseas bases and those working in combat zones.