Lapse in Appropriations

GENERAL INFORMATION

• We understand many of you are eager to return to work. The Agency is reviewing on a daily basis our excepted activities and the need for additional personnel to conduct them. But we are limited to executing excepted activities. 

• While the administration has identified funds to pay active duty military personnel, this funding does not include Department of War civilian employees. 

• Federal employee Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage remains active during the shutdown even if the Agency does not make premium payments on time, ensuring uninterrupted health coverage. Following the lapse, each employee will automatically begin to repay their share of FEHB premiums that accumulated during the lapse through payroll withholding. 

• Your supervisors have familiarized themselves with the latest guidance and are prepared to continue answering your questions. Many questions are addressed in the Furlough FAQs page via OPM.gov. Supervisors also have access to phone numbers for the NSA furlough hotline and financial counselors should you need them.

• Some wellness resources are available during the lapse in appropriations. Per Department of War guidance, services are limited to emergency counseling, crisis intervention, intake screening, and referral services:
  • Employees can call Behavioral Health and Life Services (Monday–Friday, 0700–1500 hours EDT) at NSA/CSS Washington or through the local Employee Assistance Service Office in the field. 
  • Outside of operating hours and for emergencies, employees can call the Security Operations Command Center. 
  • Military members may also receive support through Military OneSource and Military and Family Life Counseling.

• Talent Management professionals are available to address questions for the duration of the shutdown. Personnel questions can be addressed by contacting the Talent Management Furlough Hotline (Monday–Friday, 0700–1500 hours EDT).  Outside of these operating hours, employees can leave a message and someone will respond the next business day. 

• Employees are encouraged to contact their supervisors for the numbers above, or if they have any additional questions. 

AVAILABLE SERVICES INCLUDE 

• Unemployment Insurance: 
  • It is possible that furloughed employees may become eligible for state unemployment benefits while unpaid during the shutdown. 
  • State unemployment compensation requirements differ, and employees should submit questions to the appropriate state (or District of Columbia) unemployment office.
  • It is important to note that employees may be required to repay any unemployment insurance payments once an appropriations bill is enacted and they receive back pay for the period of the furlough.
  • Excepted employees working without pay are not eligible for unemployment benefits.

• Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Loans: 
  • If you have a TSP loan and are an active participant (not separated from federal service or in a non-pay status for another reason), TSP will automatically update your status to keep your loan in good standing, even if TSP does not receive repayments during the shutdown. 
  • Additionally, the lapse in appropriations does not prevent you from requesting a new TSP loan.  
  • Please refer to the TSP website for additional information.

• Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA): 
  • FEEA offers shutdown grants for qualifying full-time federal civilian employees. 
  • The shutdown grant application will only become available if the shutdown persists beyond the point that federal employees miss all or part of a paycheck. 
  • In past shutdowns, FEEA has offered micro-grants to support federal employees impacted by a shutdown, covering essentials like groceries, gas, diapers, and other basic necessities. 
  • Shutdown grants are generally available to full-time federal employees who are either furloughed or working in an excepted status.

• State and local aid: 
  • Certain states, such as Maryland and Virginia, offer temporary no-interest loan programs, as well as protections against utility shutoffs and evictions, for furloughed federal employees. 
  • Information on how to apply for these programs is available through respective state workforce agencies.

• Banking and Financial Institution Support: 
  • Many banks are offering accommodations to affected federal workers, including fee waivers, payment deferrals, and low- or zero-interest loans to help them manage expenses. 
  • Employees are encouraged to contact their financial institutions directly to inquire about available relief.

• Payroll: 
  • Leave and Earnings Statements for this pay period may not include certain allowances, such as Living Quarters Allowance, Post Allowance, Separate Maintenance Allowance, Retention Incentive, Foreign Language Incentive Pay, and Non-Foreign COLA (Hawaii, Alaska). This list is not all-inclusive. 
  • Such entitlements will be paid retroactively when a system solution is identified or once the FY26 budget is approved by Congress, whichever occurs first. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Question: If Congress passes a budget, when will I get paid?

Answer: NSA’s bi-weekly pay schedule is managed through Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS). We will be paid on the earliest day possible after the lapse ends.

Question: Is there a hardship withdrawal option with Thrift Savings Plan?

Answer: The availability for hardship withdrawal is managed by the Thrift Savings Plan, not by the NSA. However, the lapse in appropriations does not prevent you from requesting a new TSP loan. The established eligibility requirements continue to apply. Information about additional actions, including taking out a TSP loan, can be found on the TSP website.

Question: Will the furlough affect my TSP loan?

If employees have a TSP loan and are an active participant (not separated from federal service or in a non-pay status for another reason), TSP will automatically update your status to keep your loan in good standing, even if TSP does not receive repayments during the shutdown.

Question: Can I get another job during the shutdown?

Answer: Yes, but know the rules. Department of War Standards of Conduct Office (SOCO) and Office of Government Ethics (OGE) have issued advisories and provided answers to frequently asked questions to assist employees with navigating common ethics situations that may arise during a lapse in appropriations. If, after reviewing this material, you have a specific question related to outside employment during the lapse in appropriations, please call the hotline who can provide you contact information for the Agency’s ethics attorneys.

Question: Are resumes being processed for prepublication review during the furlough?

Answer: Yes, please visit the Prepublication Review site and follow the submission process here: https://www.nsa.gov/Helpful-Links/Prepublication-Review/

Question: Can you detail the guidance that dictates what are excepted activities during furlough? Do excepted employees have to work a full eight hours if they do not have excepted work to do?

Answer: The Antideficiency Act (31 U.S.C. § 1342) prohibits agencies from incurring obligations that are in advance of, or that exceed, an appropriation, except under certain limited circumstances. Those circumstances are implemented as “excepted activities” as detailed in Executive Branch guidance. For example, see the "Contingency Plan Guidance for Continuation of Operations in the Absence of Available Appropriations - Oct. 2025" issued by the Deputy Secretary of War, which can be found here: https://media.defense.gov/2025/Oct/16/2003815760/-1/-1/0/GUIDANCE-FOR-CONTINUATION-OF-OPERATIONS-DURING-A-LAPSE-IN-APPROPRIATIONS-OCT-2025.PDF

Individuals who are needed to support excepted activities generally should only work on excepted activity work. Once the excepted activity work is completed, the individual should be furloughed using shutdown procedures. If the excepted activity is to be performed intermittently during the day, management should consolidate excepted activities to the maximum extent possible for performance by the fewest number of employees. Management should determine if military personnel vice civilians can provide the needed support to the excepted activity.

Question: The new mandatory training on Department of War guidance is required to be completed by 31 October. Will this deadline be extended for furloughed employees if the shutdown persists?

Answer: Furloughed individuals will not be recalled to complete this action; a deadline for their completion of this action will be set once we receive an appropriation. Should we receive additional guidance from the Department of War regarding the furlough’s impact on this date, we will provide updated guidance.

Question: May an excepted employee take previously approved paid time off or be granted new requests for paid time off during a shutdown furlough?

Answer: A lapse in appropriations cancels an excepted employee's previously approved paid leave or other paid time off, for the same reasons that apply to furloughed employees. This does not mean that an excepted employee cannot seek approval to be excused from duty during a lapse. An agency may excuse an excepted employee from duty and place the employee in furlough status for approved periods. An agency may allow an excepted employee to be off duty during periods when the employee was previously scheduled to be on paid leave. That off-duty time may be accommodated by workplace arrangements.

Question: Are resignations and retirements still being processed despite the shutdown? Will these be delayed?

Answer: Following a slight delay, NSA is ensuring resignations and retirements will be processed despite the shutdown.

Question: How will an employee know when to come back to work?

Answer: Employees should listen to public broadcasts and monitor the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website to keep up to date on the latest news regarding the budgetary status of the United States Government. In addition, you will receive notification from the Agency.

Question: What happens with the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Long Term Care (LTC), and Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance (FEDVIP) programs during a furlough?

Answer: While an employee will remain enrolled and covered by these programs during a shutdown furlough, any premiums paid by the Agency and any payroll deductions would not occur while the employee is in a non-pay status. Review the Benefits section of OPM’s Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs for more information on how each of these programs are impacted by a lapse in appropriations.

Question: Will my computer accounts be deactivated/locked if I don’t log in during furlough?

Answer: NSAnet Top Secret, Secret, and Unclassified accounts (i.e. nsa.gov and uwe.nsa.gov) will not be impacted by the furlough.

Question: If I miss a third paycheck, will my benefits be affected? 

Answer: Federal health benefits will continue through the furlough. Your share of premiums will be collected as soon as possible once appropriations are available. The Agency has been informed that you will not be billed separately for government dental and vision benefits during the furlough. For non-federal deductions you have, you will need to check with the service provider, to see how those services might be affected.

Question: Will the window for open enrollment be adjusted?

Answer: The Federal Benefits Open Season for health, dental, vision, and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) programs will take place from November 10 to December 8, 2025. This week, we will share further details on how employees can view and compare various plans, as well as the procedures for enrolling or making changes to their benefits options. This information is available by visiting www.opm.gov.

Question: Will furloughed employees be recalled for Open Season?

Answer: Employees do not need to be recalled for Open Season submissions. If we remain in a furlough status during this time, we will implement a process to enable furloughed employees to communicate their benefit elections to the Agency Benefits Office effectively.

Question: How will TSP allotments be configured once employees are paid?

Answer: All missed TSP contributions will be collected as a lump sum, with each payment retroactively applied to its corresponding missed pay period. This will continue even if the collection process extends into the next calendar year, ensuring that all missed contributions for 2025 are properly allocated.

Question: When I am paid post-furlough, will more tax be withheld because my total pay for that period pushes me into another tax bracket? 

Answer: No. BM&A has reported that retroactive pay, while showing up as one deposit or check, will actually be calculated per pay period so you should not bump into a higher tax bracket. 

Question: The state of Maryland will not let me file for unemployment if I am excepted. What are my options? 

Answer: The State of Maryland’s website indicates that excepted federal employees are not eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. However, employees who are excepted may be eligible for a $700, no-interest loan through Maryland’s Federal Shutdown Loan Program. We encourage you to look into this opportunity, if interested. You can learn more about Maryland’s Federal Shutdown Loan Program at https://labor.maryland.gov/federalworkers/shutdownloan/. 

Question: What financial support is available?

Answer: We are aware that several banking institutions are offering 60-day no interest loans for their customers who have direct deposit with them. If interested, we recommend reaching out to your financial institution to inquire about possible options. Agency financial counselors are available to provide free, personal, and confidential counseling/coaching. Employees can contact their supervisors for financial counselor contact information.

Question: Will using mental health resources during the shutdown impact my security clearance?

Answer: No, seeking support is encouraged and will not negatively impact your security clearance. 

Question: Does an employee furloughed on administrative leave through DRP have the same security reporting obligations as furloughed employees?

Answer: Yes, employees on furlough still have the same security reporting requirements.

Question: What is the impact of the shutdown on Post/Building Hours?

Answer: Presently, there are no impacts to Post/Building hours and Vehicle Control Points (VCP) hours.

CONTACT US

For NSA/CSS affiliates:
Any inquiries on this from the media or public, NSA/CSS affiliates should refer them to NSA’s Public Affairs Office at mediarelations@nsa.gov or direct them to NSA.gov’s Contact Us form.

For media:
Any inquiries on the above information, please reach out NSA’s Public Affairs Office at mediarelations@nsa.gov or via our Contact Us  form.