CFPB considers worker furloughs as funding crunch deepens, sources say

By Douglas Gillison

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is considering furloughing workers as the agency confronts a funding crunch, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

After President Donald Trump’s White House took control of the CFPB in February, the administration declined to draw fresh funding for the agency and officials have sought to reduce its workforce by about 90%. The administration’s plans for mass firings, however, remain on hold while an employee union and consumer groups challenge them in court, meaning the agency has still had to pay wages to most employees.

Last week, the agency told staff it was contemplating reducing its workforce due to additional funding limits imposed by Congress, saying this would allow the agency