Financial Tips For VA Federal Workers Affected By Government Shutdown

Tens of thousands of federal workers from Virginia will be without a paycheck or may lose their jobs after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to reach an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline.

Now that a lapse in funding has occurred, the law requires agencies to furlough their “non-excepted” employees. Excepted employees, who include those who work to protect life and property, stay on the job but don’t get paid until after the shutdown ends.

While they’ll eventually get paid, the furloughed workers and those who remain on the job may have to go without one or more of their regular paychecks, depending upon how long the shutdown lasts.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates roughly 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day of the shutdown, including 147,000 who live in Virginia, with the total daily cost of their compensation estimated at roughly $400 million.

Related: Federal Government Shuts Down: What To Know In VA

If you're a federal worker in Virginia affected by the government shutdown, there are several things you can do to lessen the financial blow.

Unemployment Benefits

According to the Virginia Employment Commission, if you receive unemployment benefits due to a federal furlough, you will be required to repay those benefits once the shutdown ends and a resolution is passed reinstating your federal employment.

If you still wish to file a claim for benefits, you must file your claim with the state where your duty station is located. Please refer to your SF-50 form, provided by your employer, for your duty station information.

Apply online through Customer Self-Service (CSS) using the green ID.me button for secure identity verification. You may also call the VEC Customer Contact Center at 1-866-832-2363 or visit a local Workforce Center, where Virginia Works staff can assist. Find your nearest Workforce Center here.

Utility Assistance

For Northern Virginia residents, NOVEC’s Operation Round-Up is specifically for customers having trouble paying their electricity bills, according to the company. Go here for more information on how to apply for assistance, as well as how to donate to help others.

NOVEC also has a page on its website that points people to other community resources that can help with emergency energy assistance. See Emergency Energy Assistance Numbers.

Dominion Energy customers should contact the company immediately to inquire about payment options, such as long-term payment plans, deferred payment plans or budget billing. Customers can also see if they qualify for energy assistance programs through the company or state-specific programs.

Housing

Under Virginia law, furloughed federal employees and contractors are legally protected from eviction and foreclosure during government shutdowns.

County And City Resources

City of Alexandria

The shutdown has a ripple effect in the City of Alexandria, where thousands of federal workers, members of the military and federal contractors live. According to the city, federal programs helping Alexandria residents may be temporarily paused. Meanwhile, local businesses that depend on federal contracts or business from federal workers and contracts may see fewer customers or late payments.

The City of Alexandria says its city government remains open, with emergency services, trash pickup, public libraries, museums, historic sites, art centers, recreation centers, street maintenance, parks, and weather alerts operating as normal. The city has created a federal government shutdown page to provide updates on resources.

Fairfax County

Although the federal government is currently shut down, Fairfax County continues to operate as normal to connect families and individuals to county and community-based resources to assist them in meeting their basic needs, including food, utility and rent assistance during this time, officials said.

About 80,000 federal employees call Fairfax County home.

Check here for county-specific resources and information.

Arlington, Loudoun & Prince William Counties

Earlier this year, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William County officials created hubs featuring a myriad of resources for federal workers impacted by workforce reductions. While the websites don't mention the recent government shutdown, many of the resources still apply to federal workers experiencing job disruption.

Check out available resources for the following counties:

• Arlington County
• Loudoun County
• Prince William County

While government shutdowns have historically been short, many federal workers in Virginia could be facing weeks without a paycheck, leaving them unable to pay bills, buy groceries and cover other financial expenses.

“The last time we had something like this, it wasn’t the entire government, but it was 35 days, and that went up to close to three paychecks for people,” John Hatton, staff vice president for policy and programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, told CNBC.

Some furloughed workers could lose their jobs. Many federal offices could be shuttered, perhaps permanently, after Trump vowed to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.