Some Army civilians worked during the shutdown—and were told to say they didn’t

In an email to staff on Monday, Feb. 2—the first weekday of the four-day shutdown—the Army’s Installation Management Command told its employees via email to proceed with “normal operations,” adding that “all command battle rhythm events will occur as scheduled.” The email said that Army headquarters had issued no formal guidance for the shutdown, and therefore employees should continue conducting their normal work. The guidance made clear that federal employees were not permitted to work once they completed their “orderly shutdown activities,” which, per the Office of Personnel Management, can take “up to four hours.” “Federal agencies generally may not accept services from employees, whose salaries are set by law, without the obligation of appropriations for their compensation, except for emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property,” the guidance stated.

Author: Eric Katz and Thomas Novelly

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