Press Releases
Dingell, DelBene Introduce Bill to Provide Relief to Unpaid Federal Workers and Servicemembers, Make Unemployment Benefits Available
Washington,
March 10, 2025
Tags:
Veterans
Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) today introduced the Pay Federal Workers and Servicemembers Act to allow states to make unemployment benefits available to unpaid federal workers and servicemembers who, despite the government shutdown, would continue to show up to work without receiving a paycheck. The government runs out of funding on Friday, March 14, 2025. Currently, federal workers who are deemed essential and continue to report to work are prohibited from collecting unemployment benefits. The Pay Federal Workers and Servicemembers Act makes unpaid federal workers eligible for unemployment benefits. The bill includes provisions to allow federal workers to access unemployment benefits during any future government shutdowns. “Public servants and servicemembers are working tirelessly to keep us safe, and they shouldn’t be treated as political pawns,” said Rep. Dingell. “For many of these essential federal workers, even one missed paycheck can be financially catastrophic. Food, gas, childcare, healthcare, and mortgage payments don’t stop when the government is shut down, and asking our federal workforce to bear the brunt of these costs while they aren’t getting paychecks is simply not right. In the event the government shuts down, we must extend unemployment benefits to the hard-working men and women who keep our lives running smoothly and our country safe.” "During a government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal employees are required to work without a paycheck. This includes service members, law enforcement, and public safety officers. Bills still need to be paid and groceries still need to be put on the table no matter how long a shutdown lasts. These essential public servants shouldn’t pay the price for Congress’ inability to do its job. This legislation will make sure that federal workers and service members aren’t used as political pawns,” said Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01). The Pay Federal Workers and Servicemembers Act is cosponsored by Representatives Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Terri Sewell (AL-07). Text of the bill may be found here. |