As the government shutdown reaches its fourth week, approximately 23,000 federal employees in Oregon are facing financial hardships, with many required to continue working without pay. This includes critical roles such as airport screeners and air traffic controllers. The shutdown, which commenced on September 30, 2023, is now the second longest in U.S. history, and its impact is particularly severe in rural counties.
The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act mandates that federal workers receive back pay, and analysis indicates that the amount owed to Oregon’s federal employees has already surpassed $140 million. While federal jobs are distributed across all 36 counties in Oregon, the shutdown has disproportionately affected regions like Sherman County, where federal employees constitute 14% of the workforce and account for over a quarter of the county’s total annual wages.
According to Nicole Ramos, the regional economist for the Oregon Employment Department in the Columbia Gorge, the full impact of the shutdown is challenging to quantify. “Not all federal government workers are furloughed, and some are not funded by appropriations,” she stated. “Not every federal worker is going unpaid at the moment.” For instance, employees of the U.S. Postal Service, classified as an independent agency, continue to receive their paychecks.
In contrast, members of Congress continue to earn their salaries during the shutdown, although their staff members face furloughs. The situation is further complicated for those federal employees in Oregon who have filed for unemployment benefits. In the initial two weeks of the shutdown, there were 39 new unemployment claims from federal workers, according to state data. These individuals may have to repay any unemployment benefits received if they are granted back pay once the government reopens.
If the shutdown persists into late October, the challenges will escalate. Active military personnel may cease to receive their pay, and benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) could be halted. Efforts to resolve the impasse have faltered. Although House Republicans passed a temporary funding bill, it failed to gain traction in the Senate. Despite holding a majority with 53 seats, Republicans require 60 votes to advance their proposals, and Democrats have declined to support any legislation that does not extend expiring health insurance tax credits.
The ongoing shutdown has broader implications, especially as health insurance premiums for users of the Affordable Care Act marketplace are also rising, as reported by the health policy website KFF. Without a resolution, the economic and social repercussions for federal workers and their communities could be significant, highlighting the urgent need for legislative action.
This article was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project, a nonprofit investigative newsroom dedicated to covering crucial issues in the state of Oregon.
