Defense Department says it will delay furloughs

(AP) Defense Department says it will delay furloughs
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press
WASHINGTON
The Pentagon says it will delay furlough notices for its civilian employees for about two weeks while officials analyze how Congressional funding changes will affect the cuts.

A senior defense official says that as many as 10 percent of the department’s 800,000 civilian workers could be excluded from the furloughs.

Congress has approved legislation moving more than $10 billion into Pentagon operations and maintenance accounts. That shift could reduce the number of unpaid furlough days employees would be required to take.

In a statement, the Pentagon said no final decisions have been made. Initially, officials had said civilians would face one furlough day per work week for 22 weeks.

Civilians in the warzone and in critical public safety jobs and some intelligence workers would be exempt from the furloughs.