The Pentagon announced Saturday that most DoD civilians placed on emergency furlough during the government shutdown will be asked to return to work beginning next week.
In a statement released Saturday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Defense and Justice Department attorneys concluded that the law does allow the Department of Defense to eliminate furloughs for employees whose responsibilities contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities and readiness of service members.
“Consequently, I am now directing the Military Departments and other DoD components to move expeditiously to identify all employees whose activities fall under these categories,” Mr. Hagel said in the statement.
“I expect us to be able to significantly reduce — but not eliminate — civilian furloughs under this process. Employees can expect to hear more information from their managers starting this weekend,” he said.
• Kristina Wong can be reached at kwong@washingtontimes.com.
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