THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, November 17, 1995              TAG: 9511170192
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY                     LENGTH: Short :   32 lines

500 COAST GUARD WORKERS DUE BACK ON THE JOB TODAY

About 500 furloughed employees at the five commands on the U.S. Coast Guard base should all be back to work by this morning.

Most of the civilian work force sent home on Tuesday returned Thursday after the service received budgetary authority from President Clinton.

The president on Wednesday signed a Fiscal Year 1996 Department of Transportation Appropriations Bill. Word did not start to reach the Elizabeth City base until early Thursday.

Radio public service announcements began about 8 a.m., and military employees called key civilian workers that morning, said Cmdr. James Crawford, executive officer of the base's Support Center.

Everyone - including 440 furloughed from the Aircraft Repair & Supply Center - was expected back by today.

``I think we're back doing business as close to normal today. Certainly we'll be back to full strength tomorrow,'' Cmdr. Mark Blumfelder, executive officer of the AR&SC, said Thursday afternoon.

The U.S. Coast Guard is the largest employer in Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County, with an annual payroll of about $32 million.

KEYWORDS: LAYOFF by CNB