Will the Government Shutdown Affect My Rights as an Employee?
Yes and no. If you are receiving unemployment benefits, you will still receive your check. Read more here. However, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has suspended operations and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is shut down as well. If you are a government worker out of work due to the shutdown, you are probably entitled to unemployment benefits. Keep in mind that if and when you receive retroactive pay, you may well have to repay the unemployment compensation.
Please contact your congressperson to let him or her know that the rights of employees to fair pay and freedom from discrimination are important to you. Click here to locate your congressperson. They’re still being paid, and have full access to all of the perks that come along with the job- their gym, their staffers, etc. Read more here! The longer these publicservents continue with their self-aggrandizing shenanigans, the longer we taxpaying citizens will be denied the services that we pay for.