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Friday, May 10, 2013

Education Department Furloughs Averted Despite Sequester

Education Department Furloughs Averted Despite Sequester:


Education Department Furloughs Averted Despite Sequester

As some federal workers face furloughs because of sequestration budget cuts, the U.S. Education Department's approximately 4,700 employees can breathe easy, according to an internal memo sent Friday.

"ED will not need to furlough any employees this fiscal year," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan wrote to his staff.

The Education Department joins the Government Accountability Office and the departments of agriculture, commerce, justice, and state in avoiding employee furloughs,
according to Government Executive. Thousands of employees at the departments of defense, labor and homeland security will have to take unpaid leave, as will workers at the IRS and Environmental Protection Agency.

Sequestration's mandatory cuts will affect the Education Department in other ways. Employees will avoid