The US government's partial shutdown has left tens of thousands of federal workers struggling to make ends meet. Thirty days into the impasse, WIRED spoke with over a dozen furloughed employees who described desperate measures to survive. Picking up side gigs and taking advantage of free food programs are common coping mechanisms.
Furloughed employees face significant financial stress. Some have seen their income cut by 65%. The lack of compensation for interest on credit cards and the negative impact on credit scores exacerbate the issue. Employees at FEMA reported charging most expenses to a credit card, waiting for a government-issued shutdown loan from a credit union.
While some workers are fortunate enough to have partners or savings that can help, many struggle to make ends meet. Federal workers express frustration with lawmakers and the lack of support during this time. An employee at HUD said they're scared to spend money as the shutdown drags on without an end in sight.
The situation has become particularly difficult for those who rely on federal programs or work with sensitive information. Without other non-essential staff, some employees reported that projects are piling up and will take a lot of time to untangle when the government reopens.
As the shutdown enters its fourth week, workers continue to feel the strain. Furloughed employees admit that their mental health is suffering due to the prolonged uncertainty. Some have expressed feelings of despair and guilt over having a temporary break when colleagues are struggling.
The contrast between lawmakers' actions and those of ordinary federal workers has highlighted the issue. An employee at GSA said, "I met my husband at the entrance of the East Wing... it's gone." The shutdown has felt like a loss of identity for many furloughed employees, who are now forced to find new ways to cope with their financial and emotional struggles.
As the government's impasse continues, workers remain uncertain about when they will receive pay or have access to benefits.
Furloughed employees face significant financial stress. Some have seen their income cut by 65%. The lack of compensation for interest on credit cards and the negative impact on credit scores exacerbate the issue. Employees at FEMA reported charging most expenses to a credit card, waiting for a government-issued shutdown loan from a credit union.
While some workers are fortunate enough to have partners or savings that can help, many struggle to make ends meet. Federal workers express frustration with lawmakers and the lack of support during this time. An employee at HUD said they're scared to spend money as the shutdown drags on without an end in sight.
The situation has become particularly difficult for those who rely on federal programs or work with sensitive information. Without other non-essential staff, some employees reported that projects are piling up and will take a lot of time to untangle when the government reopens.
As the shutdown enters its fourth week, workers continue to feel the strain. Furloughed employees admit that their mental health is suffering due to the prolonged uncertainty. Some have expressed feelings of despair and guilt over having a temporary break when colleagues are struggling.
The contrast between lawmakers' actions and those of ordinary federal workers has highlighted the issue. An employee at GSA said, "I met my husband at the entrance of the East Wing... it's gone." The shutdown has felt like a loss of identity for many furloughed employees, who are now forced to find new ways to cope with their financial and emotional struggles.
As the government's impasse continues, workers remain uncertain about when they will receive pay or have access to benefits.
fam gotta feel for them, they're not just affected financially but also mentally it's like they're stuck in limbo not knowing when they'll get their paycheck back 
and it's not just the financial stress, it's the uncertainty too, like will we ever go back to normal? 
. 65% reduction in income is just insane... how are ppl supposed to make ends meet on that? and not having any support from lawmakers is just unacceptable 
. i feel so bad for the ppl who are struggling, especially those with families or who rely on fed programs 
. its like they're being penalized for something they dont even control. mental health suffers when u're in a state of uncertainty 24/7... how can anyone expect ppl to perform at their best? 
what's weird is how people around me are starting to ask me when i'm going to start my own business... like, no guys i just need a decent computer to get some work done 
anyway, has anyone else noticed that with the shutdown, it feels like the whole country is on a weird pause mode? like we're all waiting for something to happen, but nothing's happening 
. And what really gets me is that they're not even getting paid interest on their credit cards 
. It's like the government is just disappearing and leaving people high and dry 
#ShutDownAffectsEveryone. And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that people have to charge expenses on their credit cards? Like, who does that? 
#SupportOurWorkers
. And can you believe some people have to charge all their expenses to credit cards and then wait for a loan from a credit union? 
It's just not fair. And can we talk about how frustrating it must be for them to see lawmakers making decisions without actually living with the consequences? 
. We need some basic humanity here. Furloughed employees are just trying to survive and make ends meet, you know? They're not asking for a handout; they just want some stability and support during this really tough time 
.
, these federal workers are struggling big time 
. And now they're charged on credit cards? Not cool 
. The mental health stuff is also super concerning 
, but it feels like the gov't is kinda abandoning them 
, these workers need their paychecks back 
.
. And can you blame them for feeling like their lives are in limbo? It's like they're stuck in a perpetual state of "temporarily" 
.