Here we go again… (Government Shutdown: Round 2)

arrrghmatey

So I'm dreading that in a week from now, I will be affected by the "possible" government shutdown. I used quotation marks because I'm pretty sure it is going to happen. Two years ago, just prior to the shutdown of 2013, my agency's HR sent out an e-mail that contained forced optimism but still warned employees that they may be furloughed. Received an identical e-mail today. I hate this deja vu feeling. 

I work for an agency that would be 'excepted', meaning I would still have to report to work, not get paid, and not able to take any leave--any leave taken would not be paid back if/when retroactive pay is given back to us once everything is up and running again. And while we did get our retroactive pay after the 2013 shutdown (about a month after the fact), it was so nerve-wracking, not knowing if and when we would receive our pay. The morale in the office was gone. I was fortunate that I had plenty of money saved up, but there are lower pay-level employees who live paycheck to paycheck out here in the SF area, and many couldn't pay their bills.

My fiancé also works for a government agency and would also be affected. Both of us being furloughed is not something we want to deal with right before our wedding. We can still pay for our wedding and honeymoon with no problem, but we may have to cut back on the honeymoon activities. 

Just….UGH. Sorry, just needed to vent.

KatWAG

That sucks but at least everyone has known about this impeding shutdown for months. So hopefully affected federal employees were able to put away some money in case it happens.

And I understand not getting paid on time can and will be awful, I would feel very confident in getting back pay. The last time this happened, the only thing Dems and republicans could agree on was that affected employees would be getting paid.

julieanne912

arrrghmatey said:

So I'm dreading that in a week from now, I will be affected by the "possible" government shutdown. I used quotation marks because I'm pretty sure it is going to happen. Two years ago, just prior to the shutdown of 2013, my agency's HR sent out an e-mail that contained forced optimism but still warned employees that they may be furloughed. Received an identical e-mail today. I hate this deja vu feeling. 

I work for an agency that would be 'excepted', meaning I would still have to report to work, not get paid, and not able to take any leave--any leave taken would not be paid back if/when retroactive pay is given back to us once everything is up and running again. And while we did get our retroactive pay after the 2013 shutdown (about a month after the fact), it was so nerve-wracking, not knowing if and when we would receive our pay. The morale in the office was gone. I was fortunate that I had plenty of money saved up, but there are lower pay-level employees who live paycheck to paycheck out here in the SF area, and many couldn't pay their bills.

My fiancé also works for a government agency and would also be affected. Both of us being furloughed is not something we want to deal with right before our wedding. We can still pay for our wedding and honeymoon with no problem, but we may have to cut back on the honeymoon activities. 

Just….UGH. Sorry, just needed to vent.

That really sucks.  I think the most frustrating part is having to go into work without knowing when you'd get paid, and not being allowed to use your leave!  Sure, you know you'll get it eventually, but who knows when!  

FI's stepsister and husband are both government employees so they got hit last time, although they didn't have to go into work.  They took the time to spend with their kids, went camping etc. 

kimmiinthemitten

I hate everything about it and I'm not even a Government employee.  My sister is, but she's VA so they're exempted from all of this because of something about their budget being approved and separate from what the shutdowns affect.

The part that pisses me off the most is how much damn money it costs the country and how many people like you who are affected, yet somehow Congress doesn't lose income or sleep over it!  Stop messing with the livelihoods of everyday Americans, you damn greedy bastards!  *steps off soap box*

lyndausvi

I'm sorry.  That must really suck.      I hope they come to an agreement soon.

anjemon

H is also a government employee. He got furloughed last time when the government couldn't decide on a budget. At least this time we live together and he isn't paying for all his bills alone. He didn't have an issue and they got backpay, but if it had gone on too long it could have made things tight. And he isn't one of the people who has to go into the office without pay, which is nice. I'm actually hoping he'll look at it as an excuse to job hunt because he hates his job.

The last few times this happened a Representative (I think) from MN has proposed a bill to make Congress go without pay like they're making the workers go without. I don't know if it has ever passed, but it sure makes me fond of that guy. There are plenty of people at H's work who will be very hard pressed to keep up with their bills if this goes on for multiple weeks like it did last time.

Also, at least we aren't leaving the state this time. H was a manager last time and he had to initiate the "go back to work" phone tree from Texas because we were OOT for my cousin's wedding. And then he missed the first few days back. This had been approved long before the shutdown, but it was really terrible timing.

kvruns

Ugh that sucks.  H works for the feds too and was furloughed a couple years ago but it was just 1 day a week off and he didn't have to report to work or anything so he liked having the 3 day weekend albeit unpaid. Would suck to have to work and not get paid for it (until later)

scrunchythief

anjemon said:

H is also a government employee. He got furloughed last time when the government couldn't decide on a budget. At least this time we live together and he isn't paying for all his bills alone. He didn't have an issue and they got backpay, but if it had gone on too long it could have made things tight. And he isn't one of the people who has to go into the office without pay, which is nice. I'm actually hoping he'll look at it as an excuse to job hunt because he hates his job.

The last few times this happened a Representative (I think) from MN has proposed a bill to make Congress go without pay like they're making the workers go without. I don't know if it has ever passed, but it sure makes me fond of that guy. There are plenty of people at H's work who will be very hard pressed to keep up with their bills if this goes on for multiple weeks like it did last time.

Also, at least we aren't leaving the state this time. H was a manager last time and he had to initiate the "go back to work" phone tree from Texas because we were OOT for my cousin's wedding. And then he missed the first few days back. This had been approved long before the shutdown, but it was really terrible timing.

Wait, Congress still gets paid?  That's a sick joke, right?  How on earth do they justify that?  And here I didn't think I could hate these shutdowns more...

kimmiinthemitten

This just in:  Boehner is resigning at the end of next month so people will believe the shutdown will be averted because he's no longer pandering to the party and won't bring it to a vote.

ETF words

kimmiinthemitten

scrunchythief said:

anjemon said:

H is also a government employee. He got furloughed last time when the government couldn't decide on a budget. At least this time we live together and he isn't paying for all his bills alone. He didn't have an issue and they got backpay, but if it had gone on too long it could have made things tight. And he isn't one of the people who has to go into the office without pay, which is nice. I'm actually hoping he'll look at it as an excuse to job hunt because he hates his job.

The last few times this happened a Representative (I think) from MN has proposed a bill to make Congress go without pay like they're making the workers go without. I don't know if it has ever passed, but it sure makes me fond of that guy. There are plenty of people at H's work who will be very hard pressed to keep up with their bills if this goes on for multiple weeks like it did last time.

Also, at least we aren't leaving the state this time. H was a manager last time and he had to initiate the "go back to work" phone tree from Texas because we were OOT for my cousin's wedding. And then he missed the first few days back. This had been approved long before the shutdown, but it was really terrible timing.

Wait, Congress still gets paid?  That's a sick joke, right?  How on earth do they justify that?  And here I didn't think I could hate these shutdowns more...

Yes....http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/17/congress-paid-shutdown_n_4116192.html

Maggie0829

kimmiandkoley said:

scrunchythief said:

anjemon said:

H is also a government employee. He got furloughed last time when the government couldn't decide on a budget. At least this time we live together and he isn't paying for all his bills alone. He didn't have an issue and they got backpay, but if it had gone on too long it could have made things tight. And he isn't one of the people who has to go into the office without pay, which is nice. I'm actually hoping he'll look at it as an excuse to job hunt because he hates his job.

The last few times this happened a Representative (I think) from MN has proposed a bill to make Congress go without pay like they're making the workers go without. I don't know if it has ever passed, but it sure makes me fond of that guy. There are plenty of people at H's work who will be very hard pressed to keep up with their bills if this goes on for multiple weeks like it did last time.

Also, at least we aren't leaving the state this time. H was a manager last time and he had to initiate the "go back to work" phone tree from Texas because we were OOT for my cousin's wedding. And then he missed the first few days back. This had been approved long before the shutdown, but it was really terrible timing.

Wait, Congress still gets paid?  That's a sick joke, right?  How on earth do they justify that?  And here I didn't think I could hate these shutdowns more...

Yes....http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/17/congress-paid-shutdown_n_4116192.html

Kind of ass backwards, isn't it?  Those that can't get their f-ing job done get paid, but those that do go to work and get their crap done don't.

KatWAG

The State of Illinois has been "shutdown" since July 1. All State Senators and Reps are still getting paid.

anjemon

Maggie0829 said:

kimmiandkoley said:

scrunchythief said:

anjemon said:

H is also a government employee. He got furloughed last time when the government couldn't decide on a budget. At least this time we live together and he isn't paying for all his bills alone. He didn't have an issue and they got backpay, but if it had gone on too long it could have made things tight. And he isn't one of the people who has to go into the office without pay, which is nice. I'm actually hoping he'll look at it as an excuse to job hunt because he hates his job.

The last few times this happened a Representative (I think) from MN has proposed a bill to make Congress go without pay like they're making the workers go without. I don't know if it has ever passed, but it sure makes me fond of that guy. There are plenty of people at H's work who will be very hard pressed to keep up with their bills if this goes on for multiple weeks like it did last time.

Also, at least we aren't leaving the state this time. H was a manager last time and he had to initiate the "go back to work" phone tree from Texas because we were OOT for my cousin's wedding. And then he missed the first few days back. This had been approved long before the shutdown, but it was really terrible timing.

Wait, Congress still gets paid?  That's a sick joke, right?  How on earth do they justify that?  And here I didn't think I could hate these shutdowns more...

Yes....http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/17/congress-paid-shutdown_n_4116192.html

Kind of ass backwards, isn't it?  Those that can't get their f-ing job done get paid, but those that do go to work and get their crap done don't.

It's so totally ridiculous. And then Congress (or someone) then gets to decide if people are getting back pay. It's not 100% guaranteed that the people who are being put out of work because Congress can't make a decision are going to get paid.  But Congress does.

arrrghmatey

Another thing that irked me when this happened two years ago: our HQ unit is located in DC and was deemed non-excepted, so they were told to stay home for the two weeks of the shutdown. All of us in the field offices throughout the country were excepted and had to report to work without pay. While we did eventually get back pay, the people at our HQ unit who didn't have to work for two weeks also got paid! While I understand their anxiety of believing that they may not get paid for two weeks since they weren't allowed to go into work, I was really miffed when at the end of the whole thing, they got a paid to sit at home for two weeks and never had to make up that time. While during those two weeks I worked hours of overtime that I never was compensated for. I don't think there is a solution to this that doesn't screw one side over the other, but it still makes me mad and feel cheated.

emmaaa

kimmiandkoley said:

This just in:  Boehner is resigning at the end of next month so people will believe the shutdown will be averted because he's no longer pandering to the party and won't bring it to a vote.

ETF words

I kind of don't believe that Boehner resigning will solve it. Many Republicans don't like him anyways.

kimmiinthemitten

emmaaa said:

kimmiandkoley said:

This just in:  Boehner is resigning at the end of next month so people will believe the shutdown will be averted because he's no longer pandering to the party and won't bring it to a vote.

ETF words

I kind of don't believe that Boehner resigning will solve it. Many Republicans don't like him anyways.

They're saying Boehner and McConnell are willing to let this fight go to avoid the shutdown and establishment Republicans are in agreement, since they took the PR hit the last time and are afraid that will hurt them in 2016.  So it doesn't solve it, per say, but should push the fight back to December when we get to do this all over again, yipee!

emmaaa

kimmiandkoley said:

emmaaa said:

kimmiandkoley said:

This just in:  Boehner is resigning at the end of next month so people will believe the shutdown will be averted because he's no longer pandering to the party and won't bring it to a vote.

ETF words

I kind of don't believe that Boehner resigning will solve it. Many Republicans don't like him anyways.

They're saying Boehner and McConnell are willing to let this fight go to avoid the shutdown and establishment Republicans are in agreement, since they took the PR hit the last time and are afraid that will hurt them in 2016.  So it doesn't solve it, per say, but should push the fight back to December when we get to do this all over again, yipee!

The circle never ends, huh? 

kmmssg

After retiring from active duty I took some time off and than came back as a federal employee in the GS world.

In all honesty - if you are a federal employee you KNOW this can happen.  When I hired in 18 months ago I started setting aside some money every payday for the next round of gov't shutdown.  There is nothing new about this stuff.  If you sock away even 50 bucks a pay period that is 1300 bucks sitting there for when Washington can't do their jobs at the end of the fiscal year.  A bunch of people I work with talked about this last year but when I go back in on Monday (been out for 6 work days due to family med emergencies in 2 different states) I can promise you they will be complaining about this when they had time to prepare and chose not to.  They go to lunch everyday and they walk in with Starbucks and Biggby's everyday so they do have some disposable cash to sock away.

arrrghmatey

kmmssg said:

After retiring from active duty I took some time off and than came back as a federal employee in the GS world.

In all honesty - if you are a federal employee you KNOW this can happen.  When I hired in 18 months ago I started setting aside some money every payday for the next round of gov't shutdown.  There is nothing new about this stuff.  If you sock away even 50 bucks a pay period that is 1300 bucks sitting there for when Washington can't do their jobs at the end of the fiscal year.  A bunch of people I work with talked about this last year but when I go back in on Monday (been out for 6 work days due to family med emergencies in 2 different states) I can promise you they will be complaining about this when they had time to prepare and chose not to.  They go to lunch everyday and they walk in with Starbucks and Biggby's everyday so they do have some disposable cash to sock away.

Oh, ever since the last shutdown, I brace for this to happen every October 1st. My FI and I have plenty of money saved up and are smart with our finances,a nd we make decent money. But not everyone thinks to prepare throughout the whole year, or have difficulty doing so because they are already living paycheck to paycheck. Especially out here in the San Francisco area where GS-7s can barely afford to live in an old 1BR apartment (I know, I used to be there). It may be easier for you and me, but it's not fair to say it is easy for everyone.

It just disgusts me that it happens when it should be avoidable. I hate politicians who are out to advance their own personal political agenda at the expense of the rest of us.

kmmssg

arrrghmatey said:

kmmssg said:

After retiring from active duty I took some time off and than came back as a federal employee in the GS world.

In all honesty - if you are a federal employee you KNOW this can happen.  When I hired in 18 months ago I started setting aside some money every payday for the next round of gov't shutdown.  There is nothing new about this stuff.  If you sock away even 50 bucks a pay period that is 1300 bucks sitting there for when Washington can't do their jobs at the end of the fiscal year.  A bunch of people I work with talked about this last year but when I go back in on Monday (been out for 6 work days due to family med emergencies in 2 different states) I can promise you they will be complaining about this when they had time to prepare and chose not to.  They go to lunch everyday and they walk in with Starbucks and Biggby's everyday so they do have some disposable cash to sock away.

Oh, ever since the last shutdown, I brace for this to happen every October 1st. My FI and I have plenty of money saved up and are smart with our finances,a nd we make decent money. But not everyone thinks to prepare throughout the whole year, or have difficulty doing so because they are already living paycheck to paycheck. Especially out here in the San Francisco area where GS-7s can barely afford to live in an old 1BR apartment (I know, I used to be there). It may be easier for you and me, but it's not fair to say it is easy for everyone.

It just disgusts me that it happens when it should be avoidable. I hate politicians who are out to advance their own personal political agenda at the expense of the rest of us.

@arrrghmatey - hey I want to apologize for the tone of my post.  It sounded really snarky and I was wearing my cranky pants two sizes too small anyway.  I had 2 people in my family have strokes in the last couple of weeks and was on the road all week in 2 different states dealing with that.  Just got home and was tired and cranky.  Sorry if I came off sounding bitchy (but if I do go to work tomorrow and the ones who had an entire year plus to save (and didn't) start bitching, it won't be pretty.

and on the dorky side of life I have to share this joke from Disney World that our tram rider told us:  Why are pirates so scary?  Because they just arrrgh.....  Every time I see your screen name I think of that.

arrrghmatey

kmmssg said:

arrrghmatey said:

kmmssg said:

After retiring from active duty I took some time off and than came back as a federal employee in the GS world.

In all honesty - if you are a federal employee you KNOW this can happen.  When I hired in 18 months ago I started setting aside some money every payday for the next round of gov't shutdown.  There is nothing new about this stuff.  If you sock away even 50 bucks a pay period that is 1300 bucks sitting there for when Washington can't do their jobs at the end of the fiscal year.  A bunch of people I work with talked about this last year but when I go back in on Monday (been out for 6 work days due to family med emergencies in 2 different states) I can promise you they will be complaining about this when they had time to prepare and chose not to.  They go to lunch everyday and they walk in with Starbucks and Biggby's everyday so they do have some disposable cash to sock away.

Oh, ever since the last shutdown, I brace for this to happen every October 1st. My FI and I have plenty of money saved up and are smart with our finances,a nd we make decent money. But not everyone thinks to prepare throughout the whole year, or have difficulty doing so because they are already living paycheck to paycheck. Especially out here in the San Francisco area where GS-7s can barely afford to live in an old 1BR apartment (I know, I used to be there). It may be easier for you and me, but it's not fair to say it is easy for everyone.

It just disgusts me that it happens when it should be avoidable. I hate politicians who are out to advance their own personal political agenda at the expense of the rest of us.

@arrrghmatey - hey I want to apologize for the tone of my post.  It sounded really snarky and I was wearing my cranky pants two sizes too small anyway.  I had 2 people in my family have strokes in the last couple of weeks and was on the road all week in 2 different states dealing with that.  Just got home and was tired and cranky.  Sorry if I came off sounding bitchy (but if I do go to work tomorrow and the ones who had an entire year plus to save (and didn't) start bitching, it won't be pretty.

and on the dorky side of life I have to share this joke from Disney World that our tram rider told us:  Why are pirates so scary?  Because they just arrrgh.....  Every time I see your screen name I think of that.

LOL thank you for that. During the last shutdown, I was known for telling a lot of jokes around the office and changing the lyrics to popular songs at the time to reflect the shutdown (I think the "I'm Furloughed and I Know It" and "Pay Me, Maybe?" parodies were my most popular).

And I'm very sorry to hear about your family members. I know how when things like that happen it causes a whole slough of stresses. Well wishes being sent!