Shutdown-Follow up

[imoldernu]

Shutdown:
XXXXXXX number of workers out of work
Open goverment:
XXXXXXX people who were out of work get paid for the time off.

34 days so far...XXXXXXX workers... no work being done.

What work that the XXXXXX people didn't do still needs doing.
What happens to the backlog?

Will more people be hired to catch up on the backlog? cost?
Will the people who come back have to work overtime @$$$ to catch up?

If not, were all those people necessary in the first place?

How does this get fixed without effect on the economy... and you and me?

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imoldernu Shutdown: XXXXXXX number of workers out of work Open goverment: XXXXXXX people who were out of work get paid for the time off. 34 days so far...XXXXXXX workers... no work being done. What work that the XXXXXX people didn't do still needs doing. What happens to the backlog? Will more people be hired to catch up on the backlog? cost? Will the people who come back have to work overtime @$$$ to catch up? If not, were all those people necessary in the first place? How does this get fixed without effect on the economy... and you and me?

While the topic is interesting, please keep comments free from political discussion and related to early retirement.

[MrsHaloFIRE]

TSA, USCG working for no pay. Will get paid eventually. Zero impact on actual dollars spent by govt. Border Patrol same (I think). Who can answer for USDA, DOJ, IRS etc?

[JDARNELL]

I just came through customs at LAX and the shutdown is having some impact. For example I wanted to do my global entry interview but they are not doing them upon entry. I will have to schedule online and do it at some point in the future. Of course no scheduling while the shut down is ongoing. As soon as the workers got the flight cleared they left since they are not getting paid. Can’t say I blame them I would be standing around that’s for sure.

[pb4uski]

I would be thankful that they came in at all since they are not getting paid. I think after a couple weeks I would either call in sick or resign and go find another job.

That said, and I know there are many people who live paycheck-to-paycheck who are experiencing severe hardships from not being paid... haven't these people heard of an emergency fund?

[jazz4cash]

These shutdowns are very wasteful and inefficient. A lot of overhead cost remains in place, workers (so far) end up being paid anyway. The cost is probably not significant against the total budget but it's not zero, either. Probably some overtime to catch-up and cost of deferred activity. There is usually a significant effort preparing for the shutdown, but no so much this time.

The bigger impact is all the contractors that will not get paid and vendors that depend on purchases by the Fed workforce.

[ivinsfan]

What about the issue of people working and not getting paid. There will be lots of people that did work not and also got paid..doesn't really seem equitable IOW some workers got paid vacation

[VanWinkle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski I would be thankful that they came in at all since they are not getting paid. I think after a couple weeks I would either call in sick or resign and go find another job. That said, and I know there are many people who live paycheck-to-paycheck who are experiencing severe hardships from not being paid... haven't these people heard of an emergency fund?

In many cases, the effort to sacrifice spending to establish an emergency fund is too difficult and stressful. Girls/Boys just wanna have fun!!!

Not everyone has the ability to control emotions and look long term.

I wish they could, but it is not to be.

VW

[imoldernu]

This article gets into a little more detail about some government departments that are affected, and how many people are working, and how many not working during the shutdown.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKCN1OU11E

There are few articles that report all agencies, and fewer still that cite the number of employees affected

FWIW, you might take a quick peek at the Wiki List of 34 departments that were affected in the 2013 shutdown. Likely most of which are affected today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...utdown_of_2013

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivinsfan What about the issue of people working and not getting paid. There will be lots of people that did work not and also got paid..doesn't really seem equitable IOW some workers got paid vacation

I would not classify this as a vacation... a vacation is supposed to be relaxing and I bet few of the people with money problems are relaxed...


Now, the people who have saved and have extra money might be doing something, but they cannot go far as they could be called back in a day...

[Aerides]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski haven't these people heard of an emergency fund?

When I was 26? Of course I'd heard of it, that was something other people had. I was making just enough to cover rent, gas, basics, etc. And I didn't have a family to raise.

I'm sure I'm not the only one here who spent many of my younger years living paycheck-to-paycheck, and many more still with an emergency fund of $500 + credit cards.

I wasn't stupid, I wasn't splurging, I had a roommate. I just wasn't making very much money, like a lot of people when they are starting out.

Was probably 32+ before I had real cash savings to cover a long period.

[Texas Proud]

As to the backlog of work... I think a good amount will be absorbed over time... and there is a good amount that was just 'caretaking'.... the people at the national parks etc. that cater to tourist will have to work hard to get their place back in order, but there is no backlog built up for what was missed...


IOW, we were in Hawaii and could not go to a couple of places that were closed... we are not going to be able to get that back...

[jimandthom]

The federal govt, is quite possibly the 2nd largest employer in the eastern end of the Upper Peninsula. The local hospital system is the largest employer with about 900.

We have the following federal employment that is impacted

Border Patrol,
Customs/Immigration
Coast Guard
Federal Corrections
Federal Conservation and National Parks
Bureau of Indian Affairs

not certain if Corps of Engineers is affected.

Is the general public really aware of how much payroll the feds or government as a whole provides for a given area?

Add in state, county, local and tribal employment this area survives on tax dollars coming in.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerides When I was 26? Of course I'd heard of it, that was something other people had. I was making just enough to cover rent, gas, basics, etc. And I didn't have a family to raise. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who spent many of my younger years living paycheck-to-paycheck, and many more still with an emergency fund of $500 + credit cards. I wasn't stupid, I wasn't splurging, I had a roommate. I just wasn't making very much money, like a lot of people when they are starting out. Was probably 32+ before I had real cash savings to cover a long period.

Not sure why you are bringing age into it, but the stories that I have seen of furloughed federal employees who were struggling we much older than 26.... 30s-40s-50s for the most part.

[Aerides]

I only included age for my personal example of when I was in a paycheck-to-paycheck scenario, single income. And perhaps as a way to help some others of us think back and remember back a time when they might also have been in that situation vs. "just have an emergency fund already".

Of course, income loss at any age is a hardship, and I don't mean at all to say only the younger crowd has an excuse.

[MichaelB]

When I was approaching 40 we did not have 3 months of salary saved in emergency funds. Even though we lived a thrifty lifestyle and saved every penny, every time our short term savings / emergency fund hit our target it was spent on health care. Theee births and multiple hospital visits took care of that.

It’s easy to fault people for not having enough savings, but the reality many live can be quite different.

[ExFlyBoy5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerides I only included age for my personal example of when I was in a paycheck-to-paycheck scenario, single income. And perhaps as a way to help some others of us think back and remember back a time when they might also have been in that situation vs. "just have an emergency fund already". Of course, income loss at any age is a hardship, and I don't mean at all to say only the younger crowd has an excuse.

I would be willing to bet that many of the posters here (myself included) have lived a time in their life when a significant time without a paycheck would have been quite detrimental. And, I would bet that a good number of folks that are affected TODAY with the shutdown will learn a good lesson on money management.

[Philliefan33]

DH is a retired federal employee, always designated “essential “ so he worked through any shutdown. The longest shutdown we recall going through was a couple of weeks. I think he missed one paycheck.

We had enough cushion in our savings account that we weren’t worried. I was a SAHM for at least one of the shutdowns, may have been working part time for the others. We had enough in our emergency fund to last a few months.

But with the current shutdown, DH and I were doing a thought experiment. What if our daughter had just graduated from college and gone to work for the US government? She would have recently signed a lease and had to pay the security deposit/ first month /last month. That would’ve drained any savings she could’ve managed as a poor college student. Maybe she bought a reliable car to replace the hoopdee she drove at school. Rent, insurance, car payment, household bills...and maybe a couple of thousand in the bank. How long could she last?

Now our DD has the advantage of having parents who can afford to be The Bank of Mom & Dad for short-term loans when there a cash flow problem. But not everyone has that advantage.

[ivinsfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Proud I would not classify this as a vacation... a vacation is supposed to be relaxing and I bet few of the people with money problems are relaxed... Now, the people who have saved and have extra money might be doing something, but they cannot go far as they could be called back in a day...

But they will be paid for not working,I don't know what else to call it.

[imoldernu]

Maybe a thread for "emergency funds"?