Civilian employees at North Carolina's military bases are back at work after four furlough days from the government shutdown.
The recall comes after the Department of Defense said this weekend a stop-gap budget law that keeps the military funded during the shutdown includes civilian workers. Most of the 800 civilian employees who were furloughed from Camp Lejeune are back at work after the DOD reviewed the language in the Pay Our Military Act.
"The guidance that we've received this week in order to bring these folks back relates to the morale, welfare or readiness of our service members and their families," said Capt. Joshua Smith.
"[At] training bases like Fort Bragg and here at Camp Lejeune, that's the overwhelming vast majority of our civilians, so we're very glad to have been directed to bring them back on board."
Fort Bragg spokesman Tom McCollum is one of the 7,200 civilians who were sent home from the base last week. He and most of his colleagues returned to their offices Monday morning.
"It took a lot of pressure off of them, wondering if they would be able to meet their bills, because even though we were furloughed, that didn't mean our bills had stopped. Now this gives everyone that relief that pay is inbound, and we can get our jobs done," McCollum said.
McCollum says a few employees who work on auditing are still at home this week. It's not clear when they will return, but hundreds of thousands of other federal employees and people who work for government contractors are still on furlough as the shutdown continues.
