"Essential"...? Boy, are you screwed!

[regnaD kciN]

My wife was just informed that her federal job was one of those considered "essential." Let me explain to you how that works:

If you're not "essential," you cannot work at your job while the shutdown exists. You can, however, file for unemployment. Here in Washington state, after a one-week waiting period, you can collect up to $570 per week to cover your expenses.

If you're "essential," you still have to go to work every day (as a matter of fact, you'll be putting in more work, as you'll be expected to take on all the workload of those employees furloughed as well as your own) -- but you won't get paid for it. Oh, sure, you'll get reimbursed for back pay down the line when the shutdown ends, possibly weeks or even months from now. But you can't qualify for unemployment, so you get nothing until the shutdown is over. And your bills will still be due on time, as always.

Sure, you can always go to your creditors and ask them to give you a break, as you are currently required to put in forty-plus hours of unpaid labor keeping the country running, but you know what their response will be: :rofl: .

Oh, and, as to that back pay you might get months down the line? Well, you might not get all of it. Apparently, one of the possibilities for a resolution to the budget crisis involves a cut in federal worker pay (at least for my wife's position), retroactive to the day the shutdown began.

Oh, well, at least the bankruptcy courts will still be open! :sarcasm:

[Drale]

1. If she doesn't get payed

she should filed a lawsuit because thats basically slave labor.

[arthritisR_US]

2. What you have said is truly f*cking depressing..stinks to high heaven!...

:mad: :grr:

[derby378]

3. Oh, it'll be good for some businesses - like this one

[TwilightGardener]

4. Yep. A commander at Ft. Carson reassured the public that the troops "volunteered" and

therefore will certainly show up for duty as promised--not to worry, America! I'm thinking they didn't volunteer to work for free.

[classof56]

5. I thank you for the reality check, but man, does this suck.

I believe the republicons' goal is slave labor or at the very least the old feudal system. Perhaps this is their first step towards achieving that goal. They are evil, pure and simple.

Just heard Chris Matthews say "Will the last person to leave Washington please turn out the lights," which called to mind the time Seattle seemed to be dying on the vine and someone put up a billboard saying "Will the last person to leave Seattle please turn off the lights." I'd left the area by then, so maybe that was just an urban legend...

Well, the kinda good news is, you can now vote by mail! As one who's been doing that for many years, I must say, I like it!

I wish you and your wife well.

[dkf]

6. How is a cut only for your wife's position?

Have they gotten that specific?

[regnaD kciN]

8. Not her specifically, but cuts for large numbers of federal workers...

...of which her position would be one of those affected.

[Joe Bacon]

7. I'm in the same boat

Working at Social Security, I'm also "Essential" so I have to go to work on Monday too,with no pay. And I got a bonus, too! If I am sick and can't go to work, I don't get any pay for that. Can't use my sick leave.

So let me get this straight, I have to work and I don't get paid, yet the asshole Republicans in Congress don't have to work and they get paid.

That sucks dead elephant dicks!

[glowing]

9. They should be the 1st to go without if they shut down the govt.

[davidthegnome]

10. Actually... if the TeaBaggers get their way...

No one will ever be screwed again. Seriously.