A federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1 after weeks of it looming, leaving scores of federal workers, including in California, at risk of going for days — potentially weeks — without pay.

While it’s unclear how long this government shutdown will last, the longest government shutdown was 35 days during President Donald Trump’s first term. This time around, federal workers face the threat of being fired, prompting unions AFGE and AFSCME to file a lawsuit challenging it.

California had approximately 150,000 federal workers as of last September, according to figures from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, although this count may not include some departments and agencies. Across the nation, some federal workers will still work amid the government shutdown as their work is deemed essential. Others will face furloughs.

Can a Federal Worker Collect Unemployment in a Government Shutdown?

Federal workers affected by the government shutdown “may be eligible for unemployment benefits,” the Employment Development Department for California said on its website. It’s in line with guidance from OPM, which notes that state unemployment requirements differ.

However, excepted employees are not considered unemployed and do not qualify for unemployment benefits, said the state employment department.

An excepted employee is one who is performing work allowed to continue amid the shutdown and will receive retroactive pay, according to OPM, like TSA.

“If you receive benefits and later get back pay from your employer for the same time period, you will be required to repay those benefits,” according to the state employment department. “We will mail you a notice of overpayment with repayment details.”

The state employment department does encourage federal workers to apply even if they are not sure if they’ll qualify for benefits.

How Do I Apply for Unemployment in California?

People can apply for unemployment at edd.ca.gov/en/myedd.

Workers will need their Form SF-8, or Notice to Federal Employee about Unemployment Insurance, when they apply for unemployment.

How Much Does EDD Pay for Unemployment?

Depending on how much you earned in the past 18 months, you could get $40 to $450 each week, according to the state employment department. The department offers an unemployment benefits calculator to help you get an estimate of how much in weekly benefits you can get.

When was the last government shutdown?

The last “true” shutdown (defined as where operations were affected for more than one business day) was in December 2018 and January 2019, during President Donald Trump’s first term, according to the Committee for a Responsible Budget, a nonpartisan organization. But threats of a government shutdown have occurred in the years since.

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Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Shutdown hits California as 150K federal workers face furloughs, no pay
Reporting by Paris Barraza, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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