The Energy Department is informing its employees that furloughs may be a possibility if the across-the-board cuts under sequestration start March 1, The Hill newspaper reports.Citing a Bloomberg BNA report, Zack Colman writes Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman told staff in an email Thursday that senior department leadership is planning for the cuts in case Congress misses the deadline.
Contracts and grants, administrative costs such as travel, training and facilities could all see cuts, the email says.
Poneman said all affected employees will have at least 30-days notice prior to learning of furloughs, according to the report.
The Air Force also may have to furlough all of its 18,000 workers if the automatic cuts occur, the branch reportedly told Congress in a presentation this week.
