City officials are taking steps to expand the safety net for unpaid federal employees, contractors and residents who are struggling to make ends meet as the partial government shutdown stretches into a second month.
The D.C. Council unanimously passed emergency legislation put forward by Cm. Anita Bonds to protect workers from losing their homes, while the Bowser administration found $2 million in emergency funds to help food stamp recipients. Mayor Bowser also announced she was introducing legislation to give the city authority to grant unemployment benefits to federal employees forced to work without pay, such as TSA airport screeners and special police. Furloughed workers who are not being forced to work are already eligible for benefits. The U.S. Labor Department denied her request to authorize such benefits last week. Comments are closed.
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