One Government Worker's Furlough Struggle: 'We Don't Know When It's Going to End'
*By Justin Chermol*
As the partial government shutdown spans its 18th day, furloughed federal workers like Sam Shirazi who have been placed on unpaid leave are struggling with both an immediate financial reality and a more amorphous sense of uncertainty.
"We don't know when it's going to end, and it doesn't seem like it's going to end anytime soon," Shirazi told Cheddar's J.D. Durkin on Tuesday. "That's creating frustration for everyone who works for the federal government."
About 420,000 federal employees deemed essential are working without pay while another 380,000 have been furloughed.
Beyond his paycheck, Shirazi's most pressing priority is to care for his daughter ー whose daily routine has been derailed by the shutdown. Her daycare is located in a federal building that has been temporarily shuttered, which presents a major challenge for Shirazi, who must keep her engaged and occupied all day.
"It's difficult because the Smithsonian is closed, the National Zoo is closed," he said of the federally-funded sources of amusement on which he might typically rely. "We have to figure out ways to keep her entertained."
"With small children you need a normal routine or otherwise things go a little haywire, so we're just trying to do our best," he added.
Although some of his peers are considering a shift to the private sector, Shirazi said he values his job with the federal government, but he is "concerned this will affect retention, and also hiring."
"I think people don't want to go into a situation that's so uncertain," he said.
Above all Shirazi said he simply wants to resume his life as a public servant without interruption.
"We want to work, we believe in public service, and we hope that this ends sooner rather than later so we can get back to work. I just hope that our leaders are able to resolve this."
Alex Gangitano, White House Correspondent for The Hill, joined Cheddar to discuss the chaos surrounding democrats in congress as they try to advance President Biden's agenda.
Kathy Mulvey, the Accountability Campaign Director for the Union of Concerned Scientists, joined Cheddar News to break down Thursday's congressional hearing on climate change with big oil executives and lobbyists.
Carlo and Baker cover Facebook's big rebrand, the latest on Biden's economic agenda and more. Plus, ranking the best Halloween candy and the worst couple's costumes.
As President Joe Biden heads to Europe for the G20 and the United Nations COP26 climate meeting, he has announced a new $1.75 trillion spending framework. Senate Democrats are reportedly close to agreeing on passing the legislation, but it hangs in the balance as President Biden and other world leaders will meet at COP26 and Biden looks to proclaim the U.S. a leader on climate issues. Vox Senior Reporter Rebecca Leber joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the $555 billion worth of clean energy initiatives Biden included in the framework, and how Democrats' continuing negotiations undermine U.S. climate leadership.
Christopher Romaka, advocacy lead at Good Counsel Services, explains how the non-profit is still working to get Afghan refugees out of the country, which fell to the Taliban back in August.
Dems race for a deal on President Biden's economic agenda ahead of his big foreign trip. What to make of the latest threat assessment in Afghanistan. Plus, the meme cryptocurrency of the moment that's now worth more than many Fortune 500 companies.
The U.S. has now joined a handful of countries that allow a gender designation other than 'male' or 'female' on passports. Chris Johnson, White House Reporter for the Washington Blade, joined Cheddar to discuss.
