Question: Can the federal employees who are not being paid during the shutdown apply

[Arkansas Granny]

for unemployment, food stamps, etc? Or are they just hung out to dry while Trump throws his tantrum? Will their numbers be included in the jobs report and unemployment figures?

[niyad]

1. trump says they are all Dems, and doesn't care.

this is only one of them:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211595084

[trueblue2007]

5. he said that??? Do you have the exact words. did the FAT PIG twitter that?

[niyad]

6. the "it's all Dems" is in multiple stories everywhere.

[trueblue2007]

7. I FOUND IT. he put it on twitter. another lie.

Donald J. Trump
?Verified account @realDonaldTrump
7h7 hours ago

Have the Democrats finally realized that we desperately need Border Security and a Wall on the Southern Border. Need to stop Drugs, Human Trafficking,Gang Members & Criminals from coming into our Country. Do the Dems realize that most of the people not getting paid are Democrats?

[FSogol]

2. Yes. It depends on the State, but they usually have to wait 2 weeks. The problem begins when

Congress approves their backpay. The States want the money that they received in benefits back.

[haele]

3. No, they're still employed. (on edit - depends on the state unemployment rules)

The ones who are working without a paycheck are still working. It's the same as if you only got paid once a month or after a job is completed.

The ones who were furloughed are on enforced "Leave without Pay" - it's not a "lay-off", as they are still considered under contract and the government is still paying their benefits, pension or 401K, etc., and they are still accruing leave, time in grade, and all the other things that accrue if they were working. They aren't being terminated from their position. They're just being told to either stay home or come to work as normal, whether or not they're going to get paid in the middle of next month.
Everyone should still get a paycheck, albeit reduced by 40 hours depending on their pay cycle, on December 31st. Those who are getting paid under a 15 day pay cycle offset (twice a Month) should still get a full paycheck. Those who are getting paid under a week offset pay cycle (every two weeks) will get a half paycheck.

It's the January 15th paycheck that is being held hostage by this shut-down if it goes much farther.

Under the legal definition regarding unemployment, they aren't unemployed. Just on LWOP. And most states don't allow someone to collect unemployment just because they're on leave, even if it's terminal leave.

Perhaps those who are being sent home without pay can apply for emergency food and housing assistance after they miss their first paycheck in the middle of January, but until then, they're considered still working or on leave under their last paycheck.

That's how it worked under the last government shutdown a couple years back when the Tea Party threw their "Obamacare" tantrum for five weeks over the end of a FY. There were a lot of people rushing to deal with their creditors and postpone scheduled payments just to be able to eek out time between pay cycles on the hope that the shutdown wouldn't last more than a few weeks and they'd get their back pay to cover all their bills.

Mind you, I'm in California. YMMV depending on the state rules concerning unemployment and supplemental assistance programs.

Haele

[idahoblue]

4. Yes.

Our FS office had a meeting with employees yesterday to help those in need apply for whatever financial assistance they qualify for.