What A Government Shutdown Would Mean For You

[dkf]

A government shutdown could furlough as many as 800,000 of the nation’s 2.1 million federal workers. It could hit as early as Tuesday if a bitterly divided Congress fails to approve a temporary spending bill to keep the government running.

Supervisors at government agencies began meetings Thursday to decide which employees would continue to report to work and which would be considered nonessential and told to stay home under contingency plans ordered by the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB.

Details about shutdown plans for each agency were expected to be posted on the OMB and individual agency websites by Friday afternoon, according to union officials briefed on the process. Formal furlough notices would be sent on Tuesday, the beginning of the new fiscal year.

The Office of Personnel Management has a furlough guide to help answer questions about a government shutdown.

So, how will a government shutdown affect you?

WHAT STAYS OPEN:

U.S. Postal Service.
Social Security.
Medicare.
Active-duty military will keep working, but will not get paid until the funds are available.
Air-traffic control.
Immigration.
Border security.
Emergency and disaster assistance.
Federal law enforcement.
IRS can still process electronic returns and payments only.

WHAT CLOSES:

Any federal agency that’s subject to appropriations. Each agency has the discretion to decide who is “excepted” or “emergency”, and who is furloughed.
All National Parks.
All federally-funded museums, including Smithsonian and the National Zoo.
All federal government websites.
Research by Health and Human Services stops. So does the grant process. Depending on how long it lasts, that will also impact medical research at hospitals and universities.
Applying for Social Security. If you’re a new retiree, your application won’t be processed.
IRS walk-in centers. Your paper tax return will not be processed.
Loan applications for small businesses, college tuition, or mortgages.
All Library of Congress buildings. All public events will be cancelled and web sites will be inaccessible.
Federal contractors will be out of work.
Federal workers (except “excepted” or “emergency” personnel) will not be allowed to work, not even from home. No blackberry, no smartphone, no laptop. Not even allowed to check work email.
D.C. Government would also shut down, as it is subject to congressional appropriations and is considered “a federal agency.” But the mayor sent a letter to OMB saying that all D.C. Workers are declared “essential.”

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/09/27/what-a-government-shutdown-would-mean-to-you/

[orpupilofnature57]

1. Same Gun different bullets, EXTORTION is what it is .

[SheilaT]

2. I would be as untouched as is possible.

I don't work for the federal government, had not planned on any trips to the places that are being closed. I'm not planning to apply for SS until next year. And so on.

Not that I think this is trivial because I won't be affected. This is a huge big deal and I hope Obama and all the Democrats name names about who exactly is responsible if this happens.

Oh. And if I were a federal employee and not getting a paycheck I would also not be working. Unfortunately, active-duty military don't really have that option.

[PearliePoo2]

3. Is the average "Joe Six Pack" going to feel this?

How many regular Tea-baggers/Re-Thugs from dumb-fuck-Istan are going to feel the hurt?
I really don't know...just asking.

[grasswire]

4. will they get their food stamps?

The wingnuts predicted race riots when Obama takes away food stamps.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. great.

the only silver lining is, it will be at LEAST as unpopular as the last time they pulled this shit.

[tblue37]

6. What about low-level foreign service officers in our

overseas embassies?