As the government shutdown stretches into its second week, federal workers and contractors say the wave of job uncertainty is just the latest hardship in a months-long grind of workplace challenges.
Some worry they’re reaching a breaking point in their careers in the federal workforce.
Marcus Ivory, 37, works as an IT contractor with the Environmental Protection Agency. He is currently working with pay since his work is funded with money from outside the Congressional budget. But if that budget runs dry, Ivory could lose his income without expecting it back at a later time.
During government shutdowns, essential federal employees work without pay, and others are furloughed — they’re typically entitled to back pay once a funding agreement is reached. (President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday some furloughed workers may not receive back pay.)
But independent contractors with the federal government, like Ivory, aren’t guaranteed back pay.
