Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are feeling the effects of the government shutdown on their household budgets.
Many federal employees are considered furloughed — which means they are on temporary unpaid leave — or excepted, which means they must continue working without pay until the shutdown ends.
Last week, President Donald Trump's administration warned that furloughed workers are not guaranteed back pay. The White House also issued reduction-in-force notices to federal agencies. It's estimated that 4,200 employees are facing layoffs, as NPR reports.
ALSO READ: Staff shortages slow Social Security services in Tampa offices
Tierra Carter works for the Social Security Administration's teleservice center in downtown Tampa, answering the agency's 1-800 phone line. She's also a union representative for the American Federation of Government Employees Local 4156, a labor group for workers in Florida and Georgia.
As the government shutdown enters week three, Carter told WUSF how she's faring.
This interview transcription has been edited for clarity and length.
The Social Security Administration is an agency of the federal government, obviously. How have you been impacted by the shutdown that began October 1?
It has put me in a tremendous financial burden. Prior to the shutdown, I was already experiencing issues with the administration when it comes to our work schedules... we were recently stripped of our flex time and credit time...So now it has made it even worse, because...I'm not getting paid at all.
So I have been reaching out to other resources in my community to try to get some help. I've even applied for a loan with my local credit union for assistance, and I've also been managing off of credit cards.
During a shutdown, there are a lot of different work statuses. What exactly is your status in terms of how much you're working and how much you're being paid?
I am considered an essential, excepted employee. I'm only under furlough if I can't make it to work or if I have an approved absence from my employer.
How has that impacted what your paychecks look like?
Right now, we don't have a paycheck.
When's the last time you were paid?
Actually, [Friday, Oct. 10, was] our last payday, and it's going to be a partial payment. For Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week, we are not getting paid.
I know it's probably pretty confusing from the outside. I don't know if it feels confusing on the inside, like, are you getting clear instructions on what to expect?
So on Oct. 1, it was pretty clear as to what was to be expected of us, but as the shutdown continues, rules and stipulations have changed.
When the shutdown started, it was told to us that all we needed to do was request furlough if we had an emergency, if we had a doctor's appointment, if we had pre-scheduled leave.
But now...we need to bring doctor's notes — we have to show proof as to why we're not coming to work...I've had a couple of employees reach out to me, and they've been advised that they're being AWOL because they have no way of showing documentation that they're in a financial hardship, and they have no means of making it to work.
And what does that mean to be AWOL?
So to be AWOL is it's basically an absence without pay. But it also puts you in jeopardy of discipline down the line ...you can even lose your position.
One thing that's setting this government shutdown apart is that — on top of furloughs — there's been threats from the White House that there could be sweeping layoffs of workers. How does that influence the culture at work?
So it definitely makes our anxiety at an all-time high. We're stressing about the fight that's going on in the White House. We're also stressing out about...how we're going to handle our financial situations at home.
We have to make sure that there's still food on the table. But at the same time, we're worried that, 'Hey, if I can't make it today...Am I going to be penalized for trying to feed my family?'
Yeah, obviously, you have very little control over whether federal lawmakers on the Hill can come to an agreement to fund the government.
What does it feel like to work for the government but also, quite literally, be impacted by the government as well?
To be completely honest, I feel ashamed to be an American citizen right now...I mean, who does this to their own essential workers?
How would you run the administration without us? If there's no one there to fix payments and make sure that over half of America receives their benefits each month, benefits that they paid into.
What kind of services can you guys offer right now when somebody calls in?
We can tell them about their benefit, but we just can't send them a verification of it.
And people are still receiving Social Security checks?
That's correct.
What does a shutdown do for operations and service disruptions?
It's heartbreaking and absolutely heart-wrenching to sit up there and explain to American citizens that I cannot give you proof of a benefit that you've been getting for years...that you need in order to live a normal life for yourself...
...and I'm actually feeling exactly what that caller is going through. I'm the person that's sitting there trying to move this over here, move that over there...to try to make ends meet.
Are you saying that you personally relate to trying to to make ends meet during the shutdown, while you're serving as a customer service rep with people dealing with the same issue?
That's correct.
That's got to be really difficult. I know you serve the whole American public, but what do you want your neighbors in Tampa to understand about the work you guys do and how it's impacted when the government is shut down?
Please empathize with us right now...from the anxiety of home, [to] how we're going to take your home, to the anxiety of what we're going to face going to work the next day or having to call off.
We just need compassion from our callers and understand that w're doing the very best we can. We're trying.
Gabriella Paul covers the stories of people living paycheck to paycheck in the greater Tampa Bay region for WUSF. Here’s how you can share your story with her.
