Administration thwarts states’ efforts to help furloughed feds -- FederalSoup.com

Administration thwarts states’ efforts to help furloughed feds

By FederalSoup Staff
Jan 18, 2019

Eight states have been warned by the Trump Administration about the legalities of providing furloughed federal employees unemployment benefits during the shutdown, the Sacramento Bee reports.

According to the report, California and seven other states received a letter from the Department of Labor stating that federal employees who are working without pay “are not unemployed and are, therefore, not eligible for UCFE” (Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees).

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) considered the letter and threat, but encouraged furloughed feds to continue to apply for benefits while the state prepares a response to the letter, the report notes.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the letter, via email, was also sent to: Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Washington and Arizona.

Reader comments

Fri, Jan 25, 2019

So the Department of Labor violated the law by telling eight states not to pay unemployment to people who are not working and not receiving any pay. The real problem is many people are doing whatever they are told to do by President Trump. Do they honestly believe they can escape punishment by stating "I was just following orders." That excuse has not worked in hundreds of war crime and civil criminal cases. What they should do is adhere to the law and propose an alternate way to achieve the same effect that is within the law. That is if the desired effect is at all legal to begin with.

Thu, Jan 24, 2019

Lazy self-serving career elected minions who need to make America great again and resign. You are all the ultimate swamp dwelling pond scum known to man kind.

Wed, Jan 23, 2019

I too am a federal employee, am furloughed, and didn't file for Unemployment, although I do feel the non-working Feds ARE entitled to file (since they've been been paying for Unemployment Insurance via tax deductions their whole career). I strongly feel the employees who are mandated to work during the Shutdown should continue to be paid regularly. Withholding the pay of working employees is morally wrong. I support the Border Patrol and understand the economics of open borders (it would lead to U.S. insolvency even sooner). I can't believe someone just posted on this forum that there would eventually be a 2000-mile wall. That's absurd, everyone including our President Trump knows that wasn't proposed. We definitely need to reform our immigration rules, but the first step is to make the border secure. That has to take higher priority than paying non-working people. This article was basically a non-story anyway, because all states know that working employees aren't entitled to Unemployment Bennies. Everybody's gonna get paid. If you didn't have any emergency money saved, there are tons of loan options available. I hope maturity & intelligence will prevail soon, as I would like to return to work.