Monday, October 01, 2012

KNOW ANYONE WHO WORKS FOR A DEFENSE CONTRACTOR? You may want to tell them about the surprise layoffs they'll be getting

You may have heard that the Obama administration has done its level best to hide the damage its defense cuts will do to government contractors. Its latest effort relates to the WARN Act, which requires an employer to give 60-days notice when laying off employees.

Because the administration's desperate to avoid these notices going out to employees before the election, it is "now openly bribing defense contractors not to issue layoff notices to workers."


That's right: the Obama administration is attempting to get these companies to break the law to ensure as few employees as possible find out about the cuts that will cost them their jobs.

The Labor Department issued guidance in July saying it would be “inappropriate” for contractors to issue notices of potential layoffs tied to sequestration cuts. But a few contractors, most notably Lockheed Martin, said they still were considering whether to issue the notices — which would be sent out just days before the November election.

But the Friday guidance from the Office of Management and Budget raised the stakes in the dispute, telling contractors that they would be compensated for legal costs if layoffs occur due to contract cancellations under sequestration — but only if the contractors follow the Labor guidance.


...Here is the problem for defense contractors: If they don’t file those layoff notices as required by the WARN Act, they are going to get sued by a lot of workers when the workers get fired immediately once the defense cuts go into effect. The lawsuits alone could bankrupt defense contractors whether the defense contractors win their cases or not. So the OMB is trying to sweeten the pot by telling them “Hey, we’ll (actually the taxpayers) pay your legal costs when you get sued. Don’t worry, we got your back (wink-wink) so long as we don’t send out those layoff notices.”

This is a brazen attempt to trap defense contractors into committing suicide for the purpose of getting Obama re-electe... never mind a quarter million workers losing their job suddenly in a day without any notice. The easiest way for defense contractors to avoid any liability is to comply with the WARN Act, simply following the law.

Oh, you're going to get laid off. If it wins reelection, the Obama administration will have nothing to stop it from completely shredding the U.S. military. We can see its priorities in action through its recent decision to fund the Muslim Brotherhood over, say, the U.S. Marines.

Make sure you forward this article to anyone you know who works for a defense contractor. This administration needs to go.



2 comments:

Jason in SD said...

In 2010, I worked for a medical device company. When PPACA imposed a 3% tax on the top line, my company responded by reducing headcount by an equivalent amount, myself included. I am now employed by a company that supplies components to defense contractors.

I am worried.

QueMan said...

Yeah...I am one of those Defense Contractors that may fall under this. Since I relocated and started this position all I hear is that us contractors cost more than a farking civil servant -- so I see the writing on the wall. And if my company does the sequestration I'll be one of the first to go due to my age and then at my age wish me luck finding another position!

The good side is that I too will be part of the 47% reaping in the rewards of you few working slaves...though will NEVER be a voter for the 'Oblamers' of the world!