The following summarizes the US Holocaust Memorial Museum lapse plan as required by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-11.
PLEASE NOTE: The following plan usually applies during federal government shutdowns. In light of COVID-19, pandemic operations (including remote work for most staff, virtual programming, and some reduced onsite services) are currently in place at the Museum.
Major Activities Impacted During Shutdown
- Museum building will be open to the public, including selected public programs.*
- All on-site and off-site public programs funded with appropriated funds will be cancelled.
- Museum will conform to normal shutdown procedures.
Shutdown Highlights
- The Museum building will be open to the public. Most operations funded by federal appropriations will cease except for those deemed necessary to protect lives and the Museum’s property (buildings and collections).
- Non-appropriated fund staff will continue working.
- The Museum’s website will continue operating. Non-appropriated funds will be used to pay for website operational costs during a shutdown.
- The Museum will need one-half day to complete orderly shutdown operations.
- Employees on board before implementation of this plan:
- Non-appropriated = 319
- Federal = 128
- Employees retained under this plan:
- All non-appropriated fund employees.
- Federal employees who are deemed necessary because of responsibilities related to the safety of human life, the protection of property and to keep the Museum building open to the public.*
- The following federal management personnel will be retained during the furlough for decisions affecting the safety of human life and the protection of property or handling emergencies, and for discussions and decisions related to the management of the furlough process, the end of the furlough, and orderly restart of agency operations, and for other lawful purposes:
- Deputy Museum Director and Chief Program Officer
- Chief Museum Operations Officer
- Director, Operations
- Director, Protection Services
Staff Status
Federal Funds
Federal staff may not perform any services other than those involved in the orderly suspension of non-excepted activities; excepted activities that may be continued are generally those that are authorized by law, or those that protect life and property in accordance with OMB guidance.
In accordance with guidance provided by the Office of Personnel Management, federal benefits will continue as usual. Federal employees who are furloughed will not be paid during the shutdown and will be paid retroactively in accordance with the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019. Retained federal employees, who work during the shutdown, will receive pay for their services once the shutdown expires.
Non-Appropriated Funds
Non-appropriated fund staff will report for work as usual.
Non-appropriated fund pay and benefits will continue as usual.
The Museum Director (agency head) will remain on duty (Director’s contract 100% funded with non-appropriated funds).
Buildings Status
Museum – Open to the public*. Open to all non-appropriated fund staff, retained federal staff, and designated contractors.
Administrative Offices – Open to non-appropriated fund staff, retained federal staff, and designated contractors.
Collections Conservation and Research Center – Open to non-appropriated fund staff, retained federal staff, and designated contractors.
Regional Offices – Open. These are entirely non-appropriated fund operations.
Operational Status by Unit
Museum Services
Non-appropriated positions will work.
Retained federal staff: 16 staff (when the Museum building is open to the public) using carryover funds.
Retained federal contractors: None
Operations / Facilities Management
Operations staff consisting of retained federal employees and contractors deemed necessary to safeguard Museum property/the physical plant will remain on site. There will be minimum operational support for items/services such as supplies, mailroom, housekeeping, loading dock, phones, and copy/fax machines.
General Counsel
There will be two non-appropriated fund staff attorneys working during the furlough to address routine legal matters that arise through the ongoing work of non-appropriated fund staff as well as questions related to interpreting furlough-related guidance.
Human Resources
Non-appropriated human resources staff will work.
Retained federal staff and contractors: None
Information Technology
There will be minimal staffing and contractor support paid with non-appropriated funds unless required by the excepted activities related to safety of human life or the protection of property including safeguarding systems.
The Museum’s website will continue operations, as it includes capabilities related to Congressionally-authorized non-appropriated fund activities, including fundraising.
Non-appropriated funds will pay for operational costs.
Retained federal staff: 2 staff (when the Museum building is open to the public) using carryover funds.
Retained federal contractors: None.
Security
Security staff consisting of retained federal employees and contractors deemed necessary to ensure the safety of the non-appropriated fund staff and necessary to safeguard Museum property will remain on site.
Collections
Non-appropriated fund staff will continue to work and are adequate to properly safeguard the collection.
Retained federal staff and contractors: None.
Financial Management
Non-appropriated fund payments will be processed.
Retained federal staff and contractors: Two.
Additional Operational Items
Travel
Federal staff on travel will be recalled where reasonable and practicable.
Non-appropriated staff travel will continue, if funded by non-appropriated funds. During a shutdown, donated staff can use the travel arranger contractor to make travel arrangements (charged to non-appropriated funds). Travel expenses for federal staff are subject to normal government travel regulations.
Press
All inquiries and official media relations will be handled by non-appropriated staff in Communications.
Contractors
Subject to the listed exceptions, contractors paid with federal funds will not be allowed to work. The only exceptions include federal contractors whose responsibilities include the safety of human life and the protection of property and contractors funded with prior year federal appropriations. Those contractors have been identified by the appropriate units (Operations and Protection Services). Contracts paid with non-appropriated funds can continue.
Volunteers (includes unpaid interns)
Museum volunteers (and non-paid interns) assignments will be determined on a case by case basis depending on the unit’s needs.
Paid Interns (all paid with non-appropriated funds)
The status of paid interns will be determined by each unit where they are assigned based on needs.
Fellows / Researchers / Visiting Scholars
These guests will be allowed to continue their work within the constraints of shutdown operations including limited access to Museum resources. Final working status/conditions will be determined by each Division or Office to whom they report.
General
All federal staff will be informed that they are prohibited by law from continuing work during the shutdown (no telework, work at home, or use of Museum resources or equipment). This does not apply to retained employees and on-call management officials.
*The decision to keep the Museum building open to the public will be re-evaluated depending on the duration of the shutdown.
