AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The government shutdown has federal employees concerned about their futures, particularly regarding potential layoffs and financial problems.
The shutdown officially started on Oct. 1, and many federal employees are bracing for what looks to be a troublesome time period with no certain end in sight.
KXAN spoke to one federal Department of Veterans’ Affairs employee who voiced her concerns for the financial security of themselves and of her colleagues.
The employee, who asked for Nexstar to conceal her identity to speak freely, said that the mood amongst federal employees in the past year has been one of “constant threat.”
“Just the uncertainty of my job and my colleagues’ jobs. I lost access to my union. I am not the person who could decide what the scope should be for our VA or federal government. I don’t have any interest in doing that. I’m a public servant,” she said. “At the end of the day, my job is to support our veterans. I serve the Constitution. That’s what’s most important to me.”
The employee spoke about the challenges federal employees have faced since the current administration took over in January.
“My supervisors, my director, my mentors, who have always been so happy to share that they work for the federal government, are just beside themselves. I’ve seen so many colleagues leave and I don’t get to say goodbye.”
The most recent government shutdown was in 2018 and lasted a record 35 days. The current shutdown seems to have both parties digging their heels, with seemingly no end in sight. When asked about the prospect of the shutdown lasting even longer than the 2018 one, the employee expressed major frustration.
“It’s maddening. My paycheck, officially, is stopped today. I will have my last paycheck on October 11. I filed for unemployment today, but it’s not going to subsidize the rest of my income for my family. I’m not someone who works in Washington. I work in Central Texas. I’m not the villain here, and I’m being politicized when I’m really just a public servant who wants to do their job.”
She also described the mood amongst federal employees as dire, stating that keeping positive morale as a federal employee in 2025 is “impossible.”
“There is no positive morale. Every year they do an all employee survey to see where the agency is, our goals, and how we can improve the workforce. Well, that was canceled this year. Anything that was focused on health and wellbeing is a token effort, just the bare minimum. I don’t know anyone that I work with that hasn’t had a terrible year. I’d say 95% of our work was stopped. How can we be innovative?”
When asked about the looming threat of a reduction in force (RIF), in which federal employees are permanently laid off, the employee said it was another in a long line of threats since January.
“It’s so infuriating. It’s hard to come up with another word. Threatening a RIF right now during a shutdown is the worst possible thing you can imagine, and I don’t give any credence to it. If more illegal action is taken and a RIF is processed, it’s going to have to work through the courts. It won’t be lawful, and I’m going to suffer. But more importantly, our veterans are going to suffer, and that’s what matters most to me.”
The government shutdown began on Oct. 1 and has no clear end in sight, with neither Republicans or Democrats showing signs of bowing to each other’s demands as of Wednesday.
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