RAPID CITY, S.D.  – The South Dakota National Guard may be forced to furlough 548 full-time personnel across the state for 22 days if automatic federal spending cuts take effect Friday, March 1.

More than half of the SDNG’s 918 full-time employees would lose one day’s work – and pay – each week for 22 weeks starting in late April, and would give up more than $4.2 million in wages.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced Wednesday that 800,000 civilian employees might be furloughed in the event of sequestration – the government’s term for $1.2 trillion in federal spending reductions over 10 years that was ordered by Congress in 2011. Under the legislation, the Pentagon must cut $46 billion from its budget during the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

To comply with the budget cuts, National Guard leaders nationwide are making plans to implement potential unpaid furloughs for their civilian personnel if sequestration is triggered.

“Making plans to implement potential unpaid furloughs for our civilian personnel if sequestration goes into effect is strictly precautionary,” said Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, adjutant general of the SDNG. “I reiterate it’s precautionary. But we’ve got to be prepared to do that if we face this situation.”

The proposed cutbacks for the Guard involve a wide range of jobs filled by full-time personnel who are classified as military technicians. They include 304 members of the Army Guard and 244 members of the Air Guard. The furlough schedules are yet to be determined, but will be internally managed so everyone is not off on the same day.

“My intent is to work with our human resources office, members of management and union representatives to develop a plan that provides equity and consistency when and if implemented,” said Reisch.

Unless Congress postpones the reductions – as it did Jan. 1 – or comes up with another plan, the Pentagon will give affected personnel 30 days’ notice of their furloughs. And Congress requires 45 days’ notice before furloughs can occur.

“While every attempt will be made to minimize the impact of sequestration on the workforce, the sad reality is that we may be forced to place all federal technicians on a 22 day (176 hour) administrative furlough if sequestration cannot be avoided,” said Reisch. “This would be an extremely unfortunate consequence that would create financial hardship for hundreds of dedicated men and women in our organization.”

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