Fermilab responds to budget cuts: Time off without pay

Batavia, IL - Today, Jan. 23, Fermilab employees will receive written materials explaining the program of unpaid furloughs that will begin at the laboratory on Feb. 1. Tomorrow, Fermilab director, Pier Oddone, meets with employees of all divisions and sections to discuss and answer questions about the furlough. The federal lab uses automation, controls, and instrumentation.

By Control Engineering Staff January 23, 2008

Batavia, IL – Today, Jan. 23,

Fermilab

employees will receive

written materials

. Tomorrow, Fermilab director, Pier Oddone, meets with employees of all divisions and sections to discuss and answer questions about the furlough.

Fermilab’s official statement says: “To deal with the impact of a sharply reduced [U.S. federal] budget for fiscal year 2008, in February all Fermilab employees will begin taking “rolling” furloughs. Hourly employees will take two days off without pay per month. Salaried employees will take one calendar week off without pay in each two-month period. If additional funding is provided for FY2008, the furloughs will stop, although they will continue for at least two months in order to be fair to all employees. Otherwise, the furloughs will continue through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2008. The rolling furloughs will save about the same amount as closing the laboratory for a month, but they allow Fermilab to continue operating the accelerator complex.”

Fermilab links to budget related news stories and materials. www.fnal.gov/pub/today/FY08budgetimpactonFermilab.html

Also see, from Control Engineering : Budget cut impacts: Fermilab looks at options, 125 fewer people

Pillar to Post blog entry: Key research facility hanging by a thread

– Edited by Mark T. Hoske , editor in chief- Control Engineering News Desk( Register here and scroll down to select your choice of eNewsletters free .)