Some federal workers will miss their first full paycheck Friday amid a government shutdown that began Oct. 1.
The government standoff affects nearly 80,000 federal employees in Washington state, many still reporting to work.
It’s not immediately clear how many will not be paid since some federal agencies have carryover funds to support payroll for the time being.
But for many workers, there will be no paycheck until Congress inks a deal to end the shutdown.
In Washington, furloughed federal employees are eligible for unemployment payments, but workers who remain on the job are not, according to the state Employment Security Department.
That affects their ability to make mortgage payments, pay rent, buy groceries and even keep insurance premiums current.
“They’re in a tough spot,” said Buck Taft, manager of the Tri-Cities Airport, which is owned by the Port of Pasco. The airport depends on Transportation Security Administration workers to keep working to ensure passengers are screened and flights depart as planned.
Taft said he’s been in touch with organizations that supported workers during past shutdowns, including local credit unions that offered no-interest loans, about supporting workers once again.
Federal employees typically receive back pay when the government reopens, though President Trump has indicated some workers may not receive back pay this time.
It’s unclear how long contractors, who employ nearly 13,000 workers at the Hanford site and more than 6,000 at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will be able to continue paying employees if the government remains shut down.
Washington’s top insurance regulator has asked companies selling auto, homeowners and renters insurance to grant federal workers a grace period of at least 30 days if they’re unable to make timely premium payments because of the shutdown.
“Tens of thousands of Washingtonians will not receive a paycheck during the shutdown,” said Commissioner Patty Kuderer. “The last thing they should have to worry about is losing their insurance coverage because they can’t make a payment on time.”
Federal workers are paid every other Friday.
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.