Press Releases

U.S. Representatives Rob Wittman (VA-1) and Frank Wolf (VA-10) wrote a letter Friday on behalf federal employees who have appealed their furloughs, to Merit Systems Protection Board Chairwoman Susan Tsui Grundmann, asking for expeditious review after a delay was announced. Wittman and Wolf expressed concern on behalf of thousands of federal employees, stating, in part:

Specifically, we are concerned about the MSPB’s recent decision to place a hold on appeals submitted by civilian workers employed specifically by DOD, thereby increasing the total length of the process for these individuals. …we remain concerned that the decision to put a hold on the appeals cases of furloughed DOD civilians unfairly sets them apart from their colleagues across the federal government.

Full text of the letter follows: 

August 9, 2013

Susan Tsui Grundmann
Chairwoman
Merit Systems Protection Board
1615 M Street, NW 
Washington, DC 20419

Dear Chairwoman Grundmann:

We write today to urge prompt consideration of the furlough appeals that have been submitted to the Merit Systems Protection Board by civilian workers employed by the Department of Defense. Specifically, we are concerned about the MSPB’s recent decision to place a hold on appeals submitted by civilian workers employed specifically by DOD, thereby increasing the total length of the process for these individuals. We would encourage the MSPB to ensure that these cases, as well as those submitted by other federal civilian employees, are addressed in due course.

Since sequestration went into effect in April, furloughs have been implemented at multiple Executive Branch agencies, leaving many of our dedicated federal employees with reduced paychecks and lowered morale. With no other means by which to protest the furloughs, many of these civilian workers have turned to the MSPB to appeal their individual cases. The many furlough appeals cases are certainly an increased burden on the MSPB, and we appreciate your commitment to fairly and thoroughly adjudicate these cases. However, we remain concerned that the decision to put a hold on the appeals cases of furloughed DOD civilians unfairly sets them apart from their colleagues across the federal government.

While we have spoken out against furloughs and encouraged Secretary Hagel to utilize other measures to find sequestration-related savings, we are not urging a certain outcome for these appeal cases. Instead, we hope to ensure that our DOD civilians are not being singled out.

With sequestration, all sectors of the federal government have to adapt and adjust the means by which they perform their mission. We know that the MSPB is not immune to these challenges, and we appreciate the vital role that it plays in ensuring an efficient and transparent federal government. However, our DOD workers serve this nation faithfully, and their concerns deserve thoughtful and swift consideration. We urge the MSPB to process and adjudicate these appeals as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Wittman

Member of Congress

Frank R. Wolf

Member of Congress

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.

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