U.S. Mint employees were notified Feb. 23 that they will be required to report to work even if the federal government shuts down after March 4, when a continuing resolution to finance most government operations is scheduled to expire.

The U.S. Mint is not funded by annual appropriations, but is supported through a Public Enterprise Fund financed by the sale of circulating, numismatic and bullion coins.

Dan Riordan, the U.S. Mint’s acting director of workforce solutions, notified all Mint employees throughout the agency that the pending shutdown would not affect the Mint.

“As of Oct. 1, 2010, most government agencies are currently funded through a Continuing Resolution (CR) which expires on Friday, March 4,” according to Riordan’s notice to employees. “To date, Congress has not yet passed another CR or other type of funding for the government that would enable operations to continue beyond this date.

“While additional funding proposals (appropriations, CR or Omnibus bill) are currently being considered by Congress, nothing has been approved yet. Additionally, even if Congress passes such a bill, its contents may not meet the President’s approval and, therefore, it might not be enacted. With Congress out of session this week, the CR expiring next week, and uncertainty about whether Congress and the President would agree on the contents of such a measure, there is speculation of a potential government-wide shutdown.

“The United States Mint, as a Public Enterprise Fund, is not funded by annual appropriations and therefore the bureau will continue to manage its operations and programs as usual,” according to Riordan. “Accordingly, unless specifically instructed otherwise, United States Mint employees are required to report to work as usual even if there is a government-wide shutdown.

“If there is a government-wide shutdown due to weather or other conditions, United States Mint employees at all locations should follow the same procedures as the rest of the Federal Government agencies in their respective commuting areas.”

Riordan’s notice was distributed to all U.S. Mint employees — at headquarters in Washington, D.C.; at the Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco and West Point Mints; and at the Fort Knox Bullion Depository. ¦