Few Furloughs Called Off, Government Shutdown Drags Into Seventh Day

After few government workers’ furloughs were called off this weekend, the remainder are still between the proverbial rock and hard place.

We learned Sunday through a press release that furloughs had been called off for United Technologies Corporation workers in Connecticut for Monday. The good news for few did not mean the same for hundreds of thousands more furloughed government employees, who face an unpaid break of still unknown duration.

As UTC called the furloughs off, the corporation and defense contractor said in an email:

“United Technologies greatly appreciates the efforts of those in the Administration and Congress who facilitated the recall of the furloughed civilian employees in the U.S. Department of Defense.”

The Defense Department’s Robert Hale admitted over the weekend that a solution was not yet on the horizon, saying that the agency hoped Congress would act soon to limit the pain experienced by furloughed government workers:

“We haven’t solved all the problems. We still hope Congress will act very quickly to end this shutdown.”

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel indicates that furloughs may soon be called off for defense employees of the government, adding in a statement that the law seems to support their return regardless of Congress’ next play.

Hagel indicated that government workers in that realm “whose responsibilities contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities and readiness of service members” may legally be allowed to return to work in the near future,” adding that the agency is working to identify “all employees whose activities fall under these categories.”

As the civilian workers’ furloughs are called off,