Budget Impacts

For fiscal year 2013 Census was able to put hiring, travel and training on hold to save money from the sequester to avoid mandatory days off or other cuts.  For 2014 we were not so lucky.  Wednesday afternoon I got an email about a mandatory meeting.  Thursday morning 86 of us found out how the budget short falls would affect us.  Our positions were being cut.  We were given the option to take a temporary assignment to another area of the Census Bureau in order to keep our jobs.  The hope is that our budget situation will improve and we would be able to return to our positions in 120 days.  If funding stays at current levels that won't even happen.  I definitely feel like I am 'taking one for the team'.  Starting Nov 4 I will be working in Human Resources.  I guess I'm glad that I still have a job, but I'm not sure what to think about this sudden career change.