EEOC workers could be furloughed for one day due to budget shortfall

Employees at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission face a one-day furlough at the end of the month unless the agency can find additional savings. 

A flat budget, the 5.2% pay raise for federal employees, fewer staff departures than expected and increased operational costs all contributed to EEOC’s budget shortfall. In response, the agency has limited hiring, cut travel and delayed long-term projects, but there’s still a gap. 

“We remain hopeful that we ultimately can avoid a furlough or limit it to only a few hours. However, out of an abundance of caution, the EEOC has made the difficult decision to notice up to eight hours of furlough for all employees, to occur on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024,” the agency said in a statement. 

Congress provided EEOC with $455 million for fiscal 2024, which was the same level as fiscal 2023. Agency leaders said that because more than 76% of the agency’s budget covers employee compensation and benefits, the salary and benefits increase quickly ate into a flat budget, as did “substantial increases in security, rent and required mission critical contract costs.”   

“We will continue to look for alternative sources of savings that would allow us to avoid a furlough but are notifying employees now of this possibility to allow them time to plan. We are continuing to increase efficiencies and will accrue more cost savings for the rest of the year,” officials said.

For fiscal 2025, the House bill would cut the appropriation to $420 million while the Senate measure would fund the agency at its request of $488.2 million. 

Similarly, EEOC in 2013 required workers to take five days of unpaid leave due to budget cuts under sequestration.