Financial resources for furloughed feds

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not USAA this time around -
https://abcnews.go.com/US/usaa-traditional-safeguard-military-families-fire-denying-loans/story?id=60090846

Well that’s disappointing. So much for supporting service members!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not USAA this time around -
https://abcnews.go.com/US/usaa-traditional-safeguard-military-families-fire-denying-loans/story?id=60090846

Well that’s disappointing. So much for supporting service members!

They are offering year loans at .01%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any idea if TSP loans are an option? I need to start looking into this if this goes on more than three paychecks.

Calm yourself. We haven’t missed one check yet. A third check would be missed around Feb 8.

[Anonymous]

What does the rest of the world do when they don’t get a pay check, get a job, sell stuff make ends meet however you need to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any idea if TSP loans are an option? I need to start looking into this if this goes on more than three paychecks.

I'm reading that they are, but the catch is that they require repayment to start within 60 days so this would be more of a problem for a longer Shut down. I anticipate they would need to issue new guidance if this exceeds 30 days.

[Anonymous]

State Department Federal Credit Union is offering some options. https://www.sdfcu.org/announcements

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does the rest of the world do when they don’t get a pay check, get a job, sell stuff make ends meet however you need to.

Please don’t assume people aren’t doing that. I know lower paid workers picking up retail shifts at Target and Lowe’s, including people who are currently working w/o pay doing their day jobs plus taking on nighttime jobs stocking goods etc.

[Anonymous]

I would absolutely get an outside job -- but I am prohibited by ethics rules from getting an outside job that relates to my federal job (practicing law), and no temp job outside what I do is going to make up for the lost income. So what is my option? This is not like when someone is laid off and immediately can go seek another full time job. We do not know when the furlough will end, and prospective employers seeking to hire someone long term know this.

In any event, I am being designated as essential and going back next week, and will have to work without being paid. How am I supposed to get a full time job while I am working a full time job?

[Anonymous]

You can file for unemployment benefits, but they will have to be repaid when you get your back pay.
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/government-shutdown/2019/01/a-furloughed-federal-employees-guide-to-filing-for-unemployment-during-the-shutdown/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm split on this. I'm glad that there are resources available for people who need them.

On the other hand, I've been reading a lot of articles lately about how so many feds are out of money and need the government to reopen so they can get another paycheck to eat and pay rent. If you are living paycheck to paycheck as a Fed you are doing something very wrong.

-Fed who saved for (lots of) rainy days and doesn't need assistance

I think you have to realize that there are many feds who make modest checks
There are relatively more GS 11-GS 15 feds in the DMV who are earning more money ($90-160,000) but many of these workers might not have a huge emergency fund either. I know people who entered government service in their late 20s or even early 30s after earning a Ph.D or law degree. Many years are spent diverting every extra dollar to student loans, daycare costs ($24k a year in the DMV), saving for a down payment for an expensive DMV house etc. The first 10 years can be very tight

[Anonymous]

Also concerned about this. We have an emergency fund, but it's not that big given student loans, daycare costs, and paying out of pocket for IVF (this type of infertility treatment is not covered under any FEHB plan). I am pregnant in my third trimester so am not physically able to wait tables, and am barred by ethics rules from taking a desk job in my field. Anyone in my stage of life is going to be challenged by missed paychecks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm split on this. I'm glad that there are resources available for people who need them.

On the other hand, I've been reading a lot of articles lately about how so many feds are out of money and need the government to reopen so they can get another paycheck to eat and pay rent. If you are living paycheck to paycheck as a Fed you are doing something very wrong.

-Fed who saved for (lots of) rainy days and doesn't need assistance

Good for you? There are many Feds who don't make enough to live any other way. I can guarantee you that the lady in DC who cleans Smithsonian floors for a living - and yes, is a Fed! - is living paycheck to paycheck.

Not because she's lazy. Not because she's "wrong," in whatever screwed-up moral vision you possess. Because she's not paid very much.

It's quite simple if you're not reflexively looking for made-up BS so you can blame people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would absolutely get an outside job -- but I am prohibited by ethics rules from getting an outside job that relates to my federal job (practicing law), and no temp job outside what I do is going to make up for the lost income. So what is my option? This is not like when someone is laid off and immediately can go seek another full time job. We do not know when the furlough will end, and prospective employers seeking to hire someone long term know this.

In any event, I am being designated as essential and going back next week, and will have to work without being paid. How am I supposed to get a full time job while I am working a full time job?

You would do what so many low wage workers in the US do - you'd take ANY job in order to bring in income. And yes, people do that after working a full-time job during the day.

This narrow minded focus of if I can’t make my 100k salary I just can’t do anything is why you get snotty posts like the PP who said all Feds should have savings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP again, I'd also like to note how ridiculous this "no sympathy" stuff is next to the thread where most posters are saying you need to make at least $200k to live comfortably in DC.

Okay?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would absolutely get an outside job -- but I am prohibited by ethics rules from getting an outside job that relates to my federal job (practicing law), and no temp job outside what I do is going to make up for the lost income. So what is my option? This is not like when someone is laid off and immediately can go seek another full time job. We do not know when the furlough will end, and prospective employers seeking to hire someone long term know this.

In any event, I am being designated as essential and going back next week, and will have to work without being paid. How am I supposed to get a full time job while I am working a full time job?

Plenty of people do it. Every retail store in the DC area has signs up for openings. The nice thing is when the furlough ends you can quit. Your logic makes zero sense. Is ideal, no of course not but that is life. Also if you are in position where you are so worried about being able to replace “that” level of income pound for pound you should be able to survive a couple of pay periods without any major headache/stress. No reason outside of a recent emergency that someone in that position doesn’t have 6 months in reserve or relatively quick access to to 6 months of funds.