Most US Department of Defence civilian workers who were furloughed will be asked to return to work beginning next week, Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said Saturday, dpa reported.
While lawyers for the Department of Defence found that the DoD could not legally issue a blanket recall of all civilians, they did find that the law allows for the elimination of furloughs for employees whose responsibilities contribute to the morale, well-being and readiness of service members, Hagel said.
He ordered a quick identification of employees whose activities fall under these categories. Hagel did not say the number of workers the order will affect, but that he expected the move to significantly reduce civilian furloughs.