Shutdown Creates FCC Shrinkage
• In the highly unlikely event that the partial government shutdown is ended anytime soon, the Federal Communications Commission announced it will suspend most operations in the middle of the day on Thursday, January 3. At that time, employees will have up to four hours to complete an orderly shutdown of operations.
However, work required for the protection of life and property will continue, as will any work related to spectrum auctions, which is funded by auction proceeds. In addition, the Office of the Inspector General will continue operations until further notice.
The shutdown plan does note that, “Four employees will be retained under the plan because their compensation is financed by a resource other than annual appropriations. These are full-time employees. They are the FCC Chairman and three Commissioners.”
The complete (and cleverly named) “Plan for Orderly Shutdown Due to Lapse of Congressional Appropriations” is posted at https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-plan-orderly-shutdown-december-2018. The resumption of normal Commission operations will also be announced on the FCC’s website.
