The ongoing United States government shutdown — now the longest in the country’s history — continues to significantly impact the livelihoods and lifestyles of government workers across the country.
Over 1 million federal workers (which includes TSA agents) are going unpaid. On October 24 — the day some federal workers received their first $0 paycheck — the Bipartisan Policy Center reported that around 730,000 are actively working without their scheduled pay. Moreover, the source claims the government has furloughed a minimum of 670,000 workers.
Furloughed 16-year Department of Labor employee Imelda Avila-Thomas, of San Antonio, Texas, spoke to PBS about how the government shutdown has compounded issues in her life.
She shared that she’s been unable to secure unemployment compensation despite her efforts. The publication noted that Avila-Thomas wonders whether a government employee who could have helped her obtain her unemployment funds was also furloughed. Notably, the local union leader hopes to receive the money to help her temporarily make mortgage payments and buy food.
While her household income has been reduced to one — her husband’s — Avila-Thomas has reportedly sought out a part-time job to help supplement her family’s finances. In addition to reducing their daughter’s tutoring sessions, the family has also gotten provisions from a food bank, according to PBS.
“This is my first time visiting a food bank in my entire life,” said Anthony Spade, another federal employee who has also been furloughed. “I’ve never had the need to do so in the past, but times [have] changed … I still have bills that are due. I have a family that I have to take care of. So it’s a lot of uncertainty that comes along with this.”
What Else Is There To Know About How Federal Workers Have Been Impacted During The Government Shutdown?
According to the Associated Press, the Trump administration has recently questioned which federal workers are entitled to back pay. This is despite the fact that Trump signed into law a 2019 measure guaranteeing federal workers their missed pay during government shutdowns.
Additionally, after being furloughed himself, Internal Revenue Service lawyer Isaac Stein has opened a hot dog stand in Washington, D.C., which he runs full-time.
“It was a happy coincidence, in the sense that I have something to do while I’m furloughed. But I really do want to emphasize that I and every co-worker I know — we just want to go back to work.”
In addition to the financial toll the stoppage has taken on many federal workers, other consequences of the shutdown have also likely had significant impacts. Among the latter is people’s ability to travel, affected by both their finances and the state of the country’s air travel, which has suffered greatly over the past month. The financial blows some government workers have sustained during the shutdown are further compounded by the fact that many could be working unpaid on or around Thanksgiving.
