26 days

Does no one put away money for a rainy day? Missing one or two paychecks and all of a sudden it's fricken Armageddon? Edited because I shouldn't say what I really wanted to

Spoke to my brother this week, USFS. He is loving the time off, and knowing the pay will come through eventually makes it even better.

Crossbowguy said:

Try going for 26 days without a paycheck with no end in site. It's going to get ugly!!!!

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why cant you get a short term loan if you dont have savngs? no better collateral than a fed job and guarantee to get paid 100% of lost wages. Bankers get that. I was a fed in 1995/1996 the last lengthy shutdown. It was nerve wracking but ultimately not a financial hardship at all to be prevented from working for a few weeks only to be paid in full for sitting at home. I wish I could be furlpughed like that again.

Khunter said:

why cant you get a short term loan if you dont have savngs? no better collateral than a fed job and guarantee to get paid 100% of lost wages. Bankers get that. I was a fed in 1995/1996 the last lengthy shutdown. It was nerve wracking but ultimately not a financial hardship at all to be prevented from working for a few weeks only to be paid in full for sitting at home. I wish I could be furlpughed like that again.

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If you don't know how long you will need the loan, you might borrow yourself into an even bigger hole.

And why should they have to bear the costs of the loan (time, effort and interest)?

When (if) they come back to work it won't be exactly a picnic either. All that work they aren't doing now, will, for most of them, still be needing to get done.

I have enough savings for maybe up to four months, but the point is why should I have to dig into my savings when the government can't get their shit together. I have co-workers that are brand new hires that just bought houses and are getting ready to have kids and they are the only income coming in the house. The whole situation sucks! I blame the whole government, both parties for not working out a solution and meeting somewhere in the middle. They don't want to give an inch which makes me think this will go on for a long time!!! For some of the other comments up top shame on you!!!! You name any other job where you are forced to go to work and work without pay besides SLAVERY? You don't have the option to find outside employment.... This isn't a case of getting a couple of snow days and not getting paid for it this is a case of being forced to work for maybe "months", having to plead with your creditors that the money will come after the government starts back up again. creditors don't care.

Khunter said:

why cant you get a short term loan if you dont have savngs? no better collateral than a fed job and guarantee to get paid 100% of lost wages. Bankers get that. I was a fed in 1995/1996 the last lengthy shutdown. It was nerve wracking but ultimately not a financial hardship at all to be prevented from working for a few weeks only to be paid in full for sitting at home. I wish I could be furlpughed like that again.

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Crossbowguy said:

You don't have the option to find outside employment...

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Please don't take this the wrong way, as I really am sympathetic to your situation, but why is this the case? I don't fully understand the situation.

Gov't guy i know told me the other day that he had to change two light bulbs during his day's work, said the last one was REALLY tight... he pulled a pinky muscle.

Cry me a river.

Crossbowguy tell me more about the slavery you endure please. Who shows up with a whip and makes you go to work and won't let you go take on one of those jobs that "americans just won't do" thereby freeing yourself without any emancipation act required, free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty free at last.

Till the boss shows up and expects you to actually do something, and if you don't you get a really long furlough.

Sad that folks revel in the struggle of fellow Americans if it suits their political persuasions.

These guys aren't getting paid right now. Think he pulled a pinky? SMH.

Northwoods said:

I’m in the same boat, hang in there. I’m hoping that there will be enough pushback after the coast guard misses their second check to end this stupidity.

I wish I could work a temp job but I have to keep going to work

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Other branches of service, with more robust family support networks, have started reaching out to the Coasties to offer financial help to struggling families, so even though they are no longer DOD, we are trying to take care of them like they are.

squirrel said:

Gov't guy i know told me the other day that he had to change two light bulbs during his day's work, said the last one was REALLY tight... he pulled a pinky muscle.

Cry me a river.

Crossbowguy tell me more about the slavery you endure please. Who shows up with a whip and makes you go to work and won't let you go take on one of those jobs that "americans just won't do" thereby freeing yourself without any emancipation act required, free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty free at last.

Till the boss shows up and expects you to actually do something, and if you don't you get a really long furlough.

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Amazing what some will say without the risk of getting punched in the suck. Why don't you go down to the local federal law enforcement office and share your opinions.

Politics... both sides of this two party system blaming each other.

I don't care who's side one is on - would be quality Congressional work to assure Federal first responder personnel within the excepted service required to work - that by law must be paid for their time worked... should be paid. <period>

Sad - there is so much extreme partisan crap that this sits without the support of the Democrats.

HR 371

Introduced in House (01/09/2019)

Pay Our Protectors Act

This bill provides appropriations to pay the salaries and expenses of certain federal employees who are working during the lapse in appropriations that began on or about December 22, 2018, and resulted in a partial government shutdown. The bill applies to employees of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, and the E-Verify program.

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squirrel said:

Cry me a river.

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I hope you do something pretty damn important... personally I drive a keyboard for a living so I don't rip on people who jump out of helicopters to save others, who direct commercial aircraft, or whose job description includes taking a bullet for elected officials.

MinnesotaHunter said:

Amazing what some will say without the risk of getting punched in the suck. Why don't you go down to the local federal law enforcement office and share your opinions.

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Thank you for making my point appreciate us or we will beat you until you do... been around since the beginning of gov't.

Thread locked in....3...2...1

noharleyyet said:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/371/all-actions?overview=closed#tabs

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Yeah, the dems have tried several CRs that McConnell wont even take up and yesterday they tried to pull a fast one with a voice vote on a joint resolution to open the government till feb 28th...

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ch...-vote-to-end-shutdown-republicans-demand-redo

Both parties are doing are playing politics and trying to score points with stupid stunts but honestly it's Trump and Pelosi playing chicken.

Anyone opposed to making them where a get-along shirt until they can come to a compromise?

ishootdasmallones said:

Please don't take this the wrong way, as I really am sympathetic to your situation, but why is this the case? I don't fully understand the situation.

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Everyone's situation is different imagine a guy brand new shipped across the country to fill a spot. They left family and friends on the east coast and was stationed in say San Fran. Or a West coaster sent to DC for his initial position usually to start a 3 year gig in his first post. New means usually low paid I have a friend at work who graduated with a buddy this has happened to. In San Fran in his dream position as a gs7. Sure as he ladders up to a gs13 life should be great.
All I'm saying fellas is don't believe everything you see on television and think federal employees are highly paid. Not the case normally. Some people can't save a penny because of their duty stations and life. When you gotta pay $1500 rent in a high COL area life isn't grand. Now others are perfectly fine.
Personally I'm good for 9-12 months then the wife will have to take the reins. 2013 taught me a lot I was one of those living check to check mainly because at the time I was building a house and spending practically every penny on it.

I agree with others on here shame on some folks here to place everyone in a basket thinking everyone has it made in the shade. Not to even mention this shutdown has happened at the worst time of the year for most families. We all know most people are strapped after Christmas these days buying the children expensive stuff they don't need.
To fellow employees if you are having issues there are lots of ways to get short term help. Go to OPM and explore your options or if I can help don't hesitate to shoot me a pm here.
To answer the question about why can't a employee go work somewhere else. Again everyone is different a lot of these people that are essential must show up for work and work 8-12 a day without pay. It kind of makes it hard not to mention the loops one must go through to even get outside employment from their agency. In my line of work my experience don't really fit into the private sector very much especially in the area I live in. It's not an easy spot for a lot of folks guys.

The level of ignorance is mind boggling.

First, you have much more limited rights as a federal employee than you do if you work in the private sector. Striking or refusing to report for work as ordered can result in termination and/criminal prosecution. Seeking outside employment can result in the same if it appears to create a conflict of interest so in some cases must be approved by the Ethics Office (which is closed due to furlough). Despite what you see from both parties, there are ethics laws.

Requiring people to incur the costs of transportation and childcare required to report to work, without paying them should be (and is for non-federal employers) illegal.

All this garbage about rich federal employees is assinine. I must work in the wrong branch. The only people I know pulling in 6 figures are upper managers, who would be getting Golden parachutes and 7 figures in the private sector. The reason the “average” federal pay has appeared to rise is because they’ve axed many of the low paying jobs and now contract those out. Your rank and file fed isn’t making anywhere close to 6 figures. Plus in reality, the shutdown has a bigger impact than it would have in the past because fewer folks now going without pay are covered by this whole backpay bill. They work for private contractors and will never recoup those lost wages. But, yea shutdown!

Second, it’s really funny to hear people bash any federal employees, but the military and veterans are sacred. Um, folks do realize that the federal government (not just the military branches) is the largest employer of veterans, right? And they are a significant portion of those not being paid right now? They work in positions from HR to contracting, biology, engineering, maintenance, you name it. Many are young families, have a lot of medical bills and other expenses and yes, even though people can’t seem to grasp the concept, many are living paycheck to paycheck. But hey, they’re just lazy SOBs getting rich off the government tit. Thank you for your service, my ass.

Third, it’s pretty telling just how essential federal employees are when thousands are being called back (under questionable legal authority) because their absences are causing too much disruption. Get rid of all those lazy employees, except the ones that keep my recreational opportunities open, or the ones that give me my tax refund, or the ones who process my business loan, or the ones who inspect the safety of my food, or.....:W:

SFC B said:

Although I am not a fan of the President, this WAS and IS the cornerstone of what got him ELECTED. I was forced to vote for him given the choice, if you want to call Shillary a choice, and the need to secure a reasonable Supreme Court. The SC is much more important than any single President. I got what I wanted and, overall, the country has undeniably prospered. Border security is something that all of those sh#$bags in DC have been dancing around for decades. I am for a liberal immigration policy BUT those entering need to be screened appropriately and we need to impede the flow of humans trafficked and drugs to the extent possible. A secured border is a good step. As for the northern vs southern border ..... did you actually say that with a straight face? Illegal immigration from the north is so rare it is hard to even find numbers reflecting it. Canada has hugely liberal policies for immigrants compared to the US....if they get to Canada they don't want to leave. To attempt to minimize and deflect the seriousness of the issues facing the southern border is disingenuous.


https://www.wkbw.com/news/us-canada-border-tells-different-immigration-story

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Well said. I am not of the heavy liberal sort nor the hardened conservative... Well stated though I did not vote for either. first time ever.

squirrel said:

Thank you for making my point appreciate us or we will beat you until you do... been around since the beginning of gov't.

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Yawn.... God forbid you ever need help, and are reliant on your politicians or political party to not tell you to go "f" yourself because it would put their chances of getting reelected at risk.

Full disclosure, I am still getting paid. But, I have the backs of the people I think are doing their best, for all of our good, and are bearing all the burden for a bunch of children in DC who are only really interested in getting reelected.