PEACE CORPS OPERATIONS PLAN IN THE ABSENCE OF CURRENT YEAR APPROPRIATIONS
Good point Joanne, I forgot about the lower-paid Federal workers as all of mine were let go and replaced with…
This plan is dated December 18, 2018. Here is the most important statement:
“The agency has, therefore, determined that the Peace Corps is not required during a lapse in appropriated funding to take any action to evacuate Volunteers and return them to their homes of record.
The Director has determined that all Peace Corps U.S. direct hire and FSN employees overseas are reasonably necessary for the protection of human life and property and, in particular, are required to ensure the health, safety and security of currently serving Volunteers.”
Read the entire plan, here: https://files.peacecorps.gov/documents/open-government/Peace_Corps_Operations_Plan_in_the_Absence_of_Appropriations.pdf
Everyone is urged to read the whole plan. It would not be appropriate, in my opinion, to excerpt sections as the whole plan has to be considered in its entirety. However, the above statement, again in my opinion, does answer the most important question about the immediate impact on serving Volunteers.
Very important decision by Jody Olson!! Well done!!
I doubt if Jody made it. Someone told her to do it.
There was an updated plan published in 2015 during Carrie Hessler-Rodelet’s regime. However, in the interim, Peace Corps and all other federal agencies were mandated to cut staff by 20%, byt the Trump administration. So this plan was reviewed, as ordered by the Trump administration,, I am sure, during Jody Olsen’s administration.
I worry how the support from other US agencies to serving Volunteers may be impacted by the shutdown. I hope it does not happen.
Not a big deal, I lived through two shut downs: Federal employees do get paid, eventually, and creditors clearly understand. Stupid Trump, just another blunder to sink him: hopefully, he won’t sink the ship of state. It’s Mueller Time! And, go Adam Shitt in following the money as Bob Woodward suggested in the Nixon case.
David,
Donna F. Edwards, former Maryland Congresswoman, spoke about the kind of hardships that the shutddown caused her constitutents, the last time it went on for more than a few days. For employees, particularly lower level clerical positions, who live paycheck to paycheck, the immediate problem was not having enough cash to pay for daycare, when the employees were expected to work. Small business dependent on federal employees as customers, such as coffee shops and cleaners, as well as daycare, all lost money that was not recoverable when the paychecks were resumed. Landlords also may not be so understanding. Edwards also pointed out it is tutition time for second semester or students. Credit cards can only go so far and I do not think credit card companies waive interest or late fee charges for federal employees. I think it importan to be aware of these kinds of hardships.
For serving Volunteers, there is not an immediate problem. But, USAID has almost all its employees furloughed. I wonder if this might cause problems for PCVs.
When Christmas falls on a Tuesday, it is traditonal for Presidents to give Federal Employees the Monday off. TRump did that. For employees on a regular work schedule, the real problems will not start until Wednesday, the 26th. But those whose schedules do not automatically include Saturday, Sunday and/or Christmas, the problems are now.
Good point Joanne, I forgot about the lower-paid Federal workers as all of mine were let go and replaced with a computer! At least Trump will own this one. Of course, the long-term damage that Trump is doing to the morale of the Federal bureaucracy is even more devastating and will last even longer. Think of all of the lost talent in agencies like State. I well remember Howie Phillips, Nixon II’s hatchet man at OEO, where I worked in a regional office which he wanted to shut down. Fortunately, I found work with NYC, but then got laid off in the fiscal crisis in 1975, taking over a year to go to resume my Federal career, this time for ACTION. Fortunately, I got by on plastic and I fully realize that lower-level staff is likely max’ed out on their plastic. And, I think that his shutdown may set a new record, beyond the 1995 shutdown that lasted three weeks.