How's the partial federal government shutdown affecting you?

[lifesavacation]

They should pay those who had to work time & 1/2 or something. When I was essential personnel & the state govt would close b/c of natural disaster or something, this who had to work were paid extra. Those who were off due to closure still go their regular pay.

They definitely deserve hazard pay.

 

[lifesavacation]

No congressman, senator, the VP or Pres should be paid while this is going on.

I think they should be sequestered, like on a jury, and not allowed out until they can agree on a budget. No seeing their family or anything else until it's worked out and they stop playing games with the livelihood of innocent people.

 

[Christine]

I think they should be sequestered, like on a jury, and not allowed out until they can agree on a budget. No seeing their family or anything else until it's worked out and they stop playing games with the livelihood of innocent people.

Agreed. I think most of them don't care too much about their own government pay. Most are wealthy. Not all, I know, and reduced pay would be hard on them, but I think the majority have money.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I think they should be sequestered, like on a jury, and not allowed out until they can agree on a budget. No seeing their family or anything else until it's worked out and they stop playing games with the livelihood of innocent people.

I think that's a little harsh. No one congressperson can end this alone, so making their children suffer isn't a fair solution either. - "Sorry, princess, I have to miss your 5th birthday party that we've been planning for 6 months because I can't single-handedly force all my coworkers to get along."

 

[PollyannaMom]

I've been trying to think of some way to help locally.

Has anyone's town set up some sort of matching organization - to put families who need some help in touch with families who want to help, something like that?

Or maybe some sort of "Pay One Bill" campaign - where you can go in and pay someone's electric or heat or something?

How would people sign up? What's the best place to run it out of (library, town office, ...)? How do you get started organizing something like this?

 

[gwynne]

I've been trying to think of some way to help locally.

Has anyone's town set up some sort of matching organization - to put families who need some help in touch with families who want to help, something like that?

Or maybe some sort of "Pay One Bill" campaign - where you can go in and pay someone's electric or heat or something?

How would people sign up? What's the best place to run it out of (library, town office, ...)? How do you get started organizing something like this?

While it's a lovely idea, in practice it's unfortunately complicated. There are a fair number of ethics rules that federal employees have to follow, particularly about gifts. It's pretty obvious the system wasn't set up for situations like the shutdown. But, most federal employees will be thinking about this kind of stuff and will want to avoid running into even a hint of trouble with ethics rules.

This article might give a better idea of what I'm talking about:
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/gove...nefield-of-ethical-questions-during-shutdown/

From the above link-"current ethics rules prohibit federal employees from accepting a gift valued at $20 or more. Employees can’t accept gifts from the same person that total $50 or more during the same calendar year, according to OGE guidance."

 

[Christine]

While it's a lovely idea, in practice it's unfortunately complicated. There are a fair number of ethics rules that federal employees have to follow, particularly about gifts. It's pretty obvious the system wasn't set up for situations like the shutdown. But, most federal employees will be thinking about this kind of stuff and will want to avoid running into even a hint of trouble with ethics rules.

This article might give a better idea of what I'm talking about:
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/gove...nefield-of-ethical-questions-during-shutdown/

From the above link-"current ethics rules prohibit federal employees from accepting a gift valued at $20 or more. Employees can’t accept gifts from the same person that total $50 or more during the same calendar year, according to OGE guidance."

Besides all this, if you are a government employee and end up getting backpay, how would you handle getting something paid for that ultimately, you ended up getting paid for. I think I would feel bad taking funds from someone to help me get through and then getting backpay. I would feel obligated to give the funds back to the organization (and that would be the right thing to do).

 

[okeydokey]

It’s amazing to think there was a deal everyone agreed on last month until a couple of TV personalities opened their big mouths about it. How is that a thing? The entire country held hostage for two loudmouths.

 

[AlaskaMOM]

I've been trying to think of some way to help locally.

Has anyone's town set up some sort of matching organization - to put families who need some help in touch with families who want to help, something like that?

Or maybe some sort of "Pay One Bill" campaign - where you can go in and pay someone's electric or heat or something?

How would people sign up? What's the best place to run it out of (library, town office, ...)? How do you get started organizing something like this?

As stated earlier there are a lot of regulations/rules that prohibit many of the employees from a lot of things (like getting a job w/o approval, accepting gifts, etc) but you could contact your local food pantry and ask what they may need for the extra that may be needed for fed. emp. If you know any personally maybe watching their kids (so they don't have to use daycare) giving them rides to work, etc.
But I do have to say I don't think it's fair of the gov't to expect employees to work for no pay (incurring working expenses along the way) and not let them get help from generous community members or another job if they confetti it into schedule. If it was us (and kind of is) and we were about to have our credit negatively affected by not being able to pay a bill I would take the help and then pay it back (or forward into the community) after paychecks are caught up.

We are "lucky" we have 4-5 months expenses saved. But I do not like taking money from our saving acct to pay for regular bills that are usually covered by salary. This is probably the worst time for a shutdown too.... We had some expenses due to the earthquake, Christmas expenses, an unusually long cold snap (higher heating bills) - right before or during this shutdown; we don't carry any debt (excepting mortgage) so everything was paid out. And who knows what else and how long this will go on.....

 

[dish rag]

Besides all this, if you are a government employee and end up getting backpay, how would you handle getting something paid for that ultimately, you ended up getting paid for. I think I would feel bad taking funds from someone to help me get through and then getting backpay. I would feel obligated to give the funds back to the organization (and that would be the right thing to do).

Hopefully they would donate the money back.

 

[Southernmiss]

Our electric company has a 'Share Your Blessings' fund where people can opt to round up their payment. That $ goes into a fund that is distributed to honorable/vetted charities that help people with utilities.

I have also heard of people having bills paid anonymously at the water/power company. Like secret Santa's pay off lay away. Just go to an office and tell them you'd like to pay on a bill that would be otherwise disconnected that day.

I am sure charities in areas with federal employees will likely see an increase in demand for help. Donating to these organizations would be a good idea. One might be able to specify with these groups the sort of person they'd like to help.

St. Vincent dePaul and Catholic charities and Salvation Army come to mind for my area.

 

[gwynne]

Our electric company has a 'Share Your Blessings' fund where people can opt to round up their payment. That $ goes into a fund that is distributed to honorable/vetted charities that help people with utilities.

I have also heard of people having bills paid anonymously at the water/power company. Like secret Santa's pay off lay away. Just go to an office and tell them you'd like to pay on a bill that would be otherwise disconnected that day.

I am sure charities in areas with federal employees will likely see an increase in demand for help. Donating to these organizations would be a good idea. One might be able to specify with these groups the sort of person they'd like to help.

St. Vincent dePaul and Catholic charities and Salvation Army come to mind for my area.

Lots of good ideas here. Many federal employees give to charities through the Combined Federal Campaign by payroll deduction. I don't believe those donations are going through now. So, helping charities or anonymously assisting with utilities is a very nice thing to do.

 

[gwynne]

Focusing on politics on this thread will be a problem.
It would be so appreciated if this thread would stick to folks either:
talking about how the shutdown is affecting them, or friends, family or neighbors.
Or...ideas to help federal employees that are within the ethics rules boundaries.
Or...ideas generally to help those in need in our communities.

 

[rickybobby]

Focusing on politics on this thread will be a problem.
It would be so appreciated if this thread would stick to folks either:
talking about how the shutdown is affecting them, or friends, family or neighbors.
Or...ideas to help federal employees that are within the ethics rules boundaries.
Or...ideas generally to help those in need in our communities.

OK

 

[monsterkitty]

Who says different? That would be awful to say otherwise. They all deserve to be paid. Vetren of not. From what I understand they all will be.

No. Not all will be paid. Not all will get back pay because they are paid by private companies with government contracts. Please, tell my friend who had their savings almost depleted due to an illness. Now, as an employee of a private company contracted by the government, they are without a paycheck. Look and see how this affecting those who work in federal building but are paid by private companies. You know, like the custodians, security, food services, my friend who is a computer programmer and an ill wife who can't work, the list could go on.

 

[luvsJack]

No. Not all will be paid. Not all will get back pay because they are paid by private companies with government contracts. Please, tell my friend who had their savings almost depleted due to an illness. Now, as an employee of a private company contracted by the government, they are without a paycheck. Look and see how this affecting those who work in federal building but are paid by private companies. You know, like the custodians, security, food services, my friend who is a computer programmer and an ill wife who can't work, the list could go on.

I have found that this is the hardest thing to get across to people. They don’t understand just how many people are employed at a federal building/site/base, etc that work for contract companies. Many of these folks are furloughed right now and will not be getting a dime of back pay.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Who says different? That would be awful to say otherwise. They all deserve to be paid. Vetren of not. From what I understand they all will be.

Nope. You are totally wrong. Contractors don't get back pay, and there are many, many contractors.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

It’s amazing to think there was a deal everyone agreed on last month until a couple of TV personalities opened their big mouths about it. How is that a thing? The entire country held hostage for two loudmouths.

Deleted

 

[Christine]

Nope. You are totally wrong. Contractors don't get back pay, and there are many, many contractors.

The Democratic Senator of Virginia, Mark Warner, is trying to ensure that contractors get paid this time. This is from his email to his constituents:

... have also introduced a bill to make sure that federal workers who have been furloughed receive back pay as soon as the government reopens, and I am working with several of my colleagues on a bill to secure back pay for the hardworking federal contractors who have also gone unpaid during this shutdown. These workers include janitors, security guards, and cafeteria staff – many of whom were already living paycheck to paycheck prior to the government shutdown.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

It's a little thing, but no one who has identity protection pins (people who have aha fraudulent tax returns filed in their name in the past 5 years) will be able to file until this resolves. They didn't get mailed out before the shutdown, the automated system to retrieve them was down for maintenance when the shutdown hit, and you obviously cannot get through on the phone right now.