Summary
Many federal workers are facing delays in getting unemployment pay during the government shutdown. These workers must navigate a complicated system to get aid, with some needing proof of income that is hard to verify due to the shutdown. Workers who do get aid may have to pay it back if they receive back pay after the shutdown ends.
Key Facts
- Imelda Avila-Thomas, a federal worker in San Antonio, is struggling to get unemployment benefits during the shutdown.
- About 670,000 federal workers are furloughed, with 26,000 filing for unemployment benefits over a recent three-week period.
- If federal workers receive back pay after the shutdown, they must repay any unemployment aid received.
- Unemployment benefits vary by state, with weekly benefits ranging from $235 in Mississippi to $1,105 in Massachusetts.
- The government shutdown is causing delays because federal agencies cannot verify workers’ wages promptly.
- In Texas, where Avila-Thomas lives, the maximum weekly unemployment benefit is $605 for up to 26 weeks.
- States require verification of job and income from federal employers, which is delayed by the shutdown.
- Some workers face difficulties due to states’ requirements to prove they are seeking new jobs while on unemployment.
