5 CFR § 351.604 - Use of furlough.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t5/s351.604"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "5 CFR § 351.604 - Use of furlough."
title_number: 5
title_name: "Administrative Personnel"
section_number: "351.604"
section_name: "Use of furlough."
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS"
part_number: "351"
part_name: "REDUCTION IN FORCE"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "5 U.S.C. 1302, 3502, 3503; E.O. 14284, 90 FR 17729; 5 CFR 2.2(c). Sec. 351.801 also issued under E.O. 12828, 58 FR 2965."
regulatory_source: "51 FR 319, Jan. 3, 1986, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "351"
---


# 351.604 Use of furlough.

(a) An agency may furlough a competing employee only when it intends within 1 year to recall the employee to duty in the position from which furloughed.

(b) An agency may not separate a competing employee under this part while an employee with lower retention standing in the same competitive level is on furlough.

(c) An agency may not furlough a competing employee for more than 1 year.

(d) When an agency recalls employees to duty in the competitive level from which furloughed, it shall recall them in the order of their retention standing, beginning with highest standing employee.