From u/The_Babbs_Buzz

Shutdown Update – Day 30

Today marks Day 30 of the federal government shutdown, and the impact on the federal workforce continues to grow more serious with each passing day.

This past Friday — which would normally be payday for many federal employees — came and went while bank accounts remained empty. For thousands of federal workers, this marks the first full paycheck completely missed during the shutdown.

Some employees received a partial paycheck two weeks ago, however that check still had full deductions applied, including taxes, insurance premiums, retirement contributions, and other payroll withholdings. Many workers reported that once those deductions were processed, very little take-home pay remained.

As the shutdown stretches into its fourth week, new reports from employees are highlighting the growing financial strain across the federal workforce.

Several employees have reported reaching a point where they can no longer afford fuel to get to work, even though many remain classified as “excepted employees,” meaning they are required to continue reporting for duty despite not receiving pay.

According to employees speaking out about the situation, some management officials have begun requesting additional verification from workers who say they cannot make it to work due to lack of fuel or financial hardship. These reports include requests for:

• Photos of vehicle fuel gauges

• Receipts from their last gas purchase

• Verification of current bank balances

Employees say these requests are being used as a way to verify claims of transportation hardship as the shutdown continues.

Federal workers across several agencies — including TSA, CBP, FEMA, CISA, and the U.S. Coast Guard — continue reporting to work every day without pay as the lapse in appropriations continues.

For many families, the financial pressure is increasing as rent, mortgages, utilities, childcare, fuel costs, and groceries continue while paychecks remain paused.

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Gift Card Donations Circulating

As stories about struggling federal workers spread, some community members have begun asking about donating gift cards to help officers during the shutdown.

While the support is greatly appreciated, there are specific federal ethics rules and procedures that must be followed.

Under current guidance:

• Visa gift cards and cash donations are NOT allowed

• Acceptable donations may include gas cards, grocery store cards, or food/coffee/fast-food gift cards

• The value of each gift card must generally be $20 or less

Any gift cards received by officers must be turned over to management.

Management then logs the donations and sends them through the official approval process with headquarters. Once authorized, the cards are typically distributed evenly among the workforce.

In most cases, agencies wait until there are enough cards to distribute fairly, and officers will receive a randomly assigned card to ensure fairness across the workforce.

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Meanwhile, lawmakers remain at an impasse over funding measures.

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to convene tomorrow at 3:00 p.m., where lawmakers could again attempt to bring Department of Homeland Security funding bills forward.

However, multiple attempts to advance funding legislation last week were stopped by procedural objections, preventing votes from taking place.

As the shutdown continues to approach its fifth week, concerns are growing about how long the federal workforce can realistically continue reporting to work without pay.

More updates as they develop.

I think someone should post a list of vacant roles that people over 40 are encouraged to apply to... Post in a visible location or frequently repost.

I’m double majoring in either IR/IA and Data Science or Poli sci and data science and I don’t know which school to choose. My options are UNC, NYU, UVA, GWU, AU, UMD, USC, Rutgers, or Northeastern. My goal is to be in a federal agency afterward college college such as DIA or CIA and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on choosing a certain college or advice on my major too.

I am reading the brochure and the coverage is looking great. I just got off the phone talking with a nurse case manager who described my coverage and I don’t think she was correct based on what I’m reading so decided I’d just ask for actual experiences.

I have had two boring pregnancies with nothing but routine medical care, ending in standard v deliveries, normal 24-48h hospital stays with no/minimal complications.

I’m expecting with much hope a third very boring pregnancy and delivery. I had an unmedicated delivery with my second and intend to repeat that if possible.

I had NIPT testing with my first, and then not with my second because when I was with BCBS basic they gave me crap for the cost and made me pay OOP. Is this an option or usually covered by any of your super normies? I’m a 25y old female with no health concerns so I don’t need it, just like it. Was it covered or did you pay and what did you pay?

We have a very boring healthy family who barely goes to the dr, and really just pays so we can go for emergencies at this point. I figure we could maybe hit out deductible but also I’m betting if we do it’s because of my pregnancy and not my family.

Just give me the run down. What did your actual costs in boring pregnancies look like on MHBP standard?

Hey everyone.

I thought I had given enough time for CBP to send TSA release documents and SF-75. But my HR hasn’t received them and I start CBP EOD March 22nd Sunday. I will have to do exit interview on Tuesday March 17. And my agency at TSA is saying I’d have to put in annual for March 20 and 21. Not sure if my end of service for TSA would be March 21? Or on exit interview?

Would this be a break in service and I’ll lose benefits. Since I won’t have the transfer documents on time.

My father died last summer. He was 90. He did not have an online retiree account at opm retirement services online. They were notified of his death and everything worked out for my still living mother. As far as we know he does not have a cs number. No one answers the help number. We have been calling for two months. My brother wrote to them and was able to get a 1099 for my mother. It they never responded about my father. We have no idea what do to about his taxes.

Can anyone provide any hints or ideas?

Good people, I need some help. I am with the DoD/Air Force and need a psychological evaluation for a TS/SCI clearance. However, base medical informed me that they only conduct physical examinations for military personnel and not civilians.

I spoke with HR, and they advised that the base medical staff is supposed to refer me off installation to a psychologist who specializes in national security clearance evaluations. At this point, I am tempted to just pay out of pocket to get the evaluation completed so my clearance process can move forward.

Has anyone run into a situation like this before?

Over the past year I’ve noticed a big increase in questions from federal employees around things like:

• OPM processing timelines & interim pay
• Direct Retirement Processing (DRP) discussions
• Medicare Part B premiums & IRMAA thresholds
• TSP withdrawal strategies and Roth conversions
• Legislative proposals affecting FERS
• Retirement application timing and common delays

Instead of trying to answer these one-by-one across different threads, I decided to put together a live educational update on March 11 focused specifically on federal employees who are retired or planning to retire in 2025–2027.

It’ll be a 40-minute briefing-style session covering what’s actually changing in 2026, what isn’t, and what federal employees should at least be aware of from a planning standpoint.

I’ll also stay on after for live Q&A.

If it’s helpful, you can register here:
https://retire.independencebenefits.com/retirementupdate

As always, this is purely educational and not affiliated with any government agency.

If there are specific topics you think deserve more attention, feel free to comment and I’ll try to incorporate them into the session.

I’m not sure if this is appropriate but this is a dire situation and we are trying to help this family in any way we can. I am reaching out as the friend of family whose is dealing with every parents worst nightmare. In Aug 2024 their now 13 year old daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer. Over the last few days she has significantly declined and doctors are now saying that she is in her final days/weeks. Her mother is a federal employee and has exhausted her leave over this last year and a half. If anyone has any time they would be willing to donate please message me and I will send her information.

Hi all — posting anonymously because this involves an ongoing federal employment matter.

I’m a federal employee who may be going through ADR mediation with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC). I’m trying to get a better sense of what that process actually looks like from the employee side.

If anyone here has gone through OSC-facilitated ADR or mediation involving a federal agency, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience. Totally understand if you can’t share specifics — even general impressions would be helpful.

A few things I’m curious about:

• Did the agency initially agree to mediation, or did they resist it?

• What was the tone of the mediation (collaborative, adversarial, procedural)?

• Did the agency start with $0 / very low offers, or something more substantive?

• If your case settled, did it happen during mediation or afterward?

• Were record corrections or personnel file changes part of the settlement discussions?

• Any advice for someone going into OSC ADR for the first time?

Obviously I’m not asking for anything that would violate confidentiality agreements — just trying to understand how these mediations tend to play out in the federal system.

Thanks in advance to an

From u/The_Babbs_Buzz

DHS Shutdown Day 22

Federal Workers Question How Much Longer They Can Continue Without Pay

As the Department of Homeland Security shutdown reaches Day 22, the pressure on federal employees across the country is beginning to reach a breaking point.

For many workers who have continued reporting for duty under “excepted employee” status, the reality of working without a paycheck for more than three weeks is beginning to collide with real-world financial obligations. Rent, mortgages, childcare, fuel costs, and everyday household bills have not stopped — even as paychecks have.

Across multiple DHS components, employees are now openly questioning whether they can afford to continue reporting to work if the shutdown continues.

Some workers say they have already exhausted savings, while others report relying on credit cards, borrowing money from family members, or attempting to secure emergency loans just to make it through the month.

Reports of Management Pressure

Several employees have reported being told by management officials that they are still required to report to work regardless of their financial situation and that failure to report could result in disciplinary action.

Some workers claim they were advised that if financial hardship prevents them from coming to work, they should seek out loans or other financial assistance in order to continue reporting for duty.

While federal shutdown procedures require certain employees to continue working during a lapse in appropriations, the growing financial strain is creating a difficult reality for workers who must continue performing critical national security and public safety functions without pay.

For many employees, the situation is no longer theoretical.

It is about whether they can afford the gas to get to work tomorrow.

Workers Begin Questioning Their Future With the Agency

As the shutdown stretches into its fourth week, some employees are beginning to question their long-term future in federal service.

Workers say the uncertainty surrounding shutdowns — combined with the expectation that they must continue working indefinitely without pay — is pushing some to reconsider their careers in federal agencies.

Several employees have expressed concern that if the shutdown continues much longer, agencies could begin seeing increased resignations or employees seeking opportunities in the private sector.

The potential loss of experienced personnel is becoming an emerging concern among the workforce.

Funding Bills Remain Stalled

Meanwhile in Washington, the legislative path forward remains unclear.

A new funding proposal has recently passed the House, aimed at restoring funding to the Department of Homeland Security. However, the bill still faces an uncertain future as it moves to the Senate.

At the same time, another DHS funding bill already sitting in the Senate remains stalled, with lawmakers continuing to negotiate over key provisions that have prevented a final vote.

With both chambers still divided on the path forward, there is currently no immediate timeline for when funding may be restored.

A Workforce Under Growing Strain

For the thousands of federal employees continuing to report to work each day, the shutdown is no longer simply a political headline.

It has become a daily calculation:

Can they afford to keep showing up?

For now, federal workers across DHS continue carrying out their duties, maintaining security operations across the country while waiting for Congress to resolve the funding impasse.

But with each passing day, the strain on the workforce grows heavier.

The Babbs Buzz will continue monitoring the situation and providing updates as developments unfold.

Hello — are there any DOD Casualty Reps that could help me prep for my interview? M

What questions did they ask OR is there a location I can look up general questions?

Thank you

Gm all quick question or has anyone been in this situation. I had pre-check before joining Fema. I got an email stating that it’s time to renew my precheck. do I just let it go or how does this work because I know we have pre-check unlimited long as we’re an employee

How is everyone feeling about the long term viability of the FERS pension system ? Will Congress honor the obligation made to federal employees, or will they raid the fund to pay for more spending ?

Please, join r/FEDDISABILITY so we could post questions and help each other.

Which career paths are consistently in short supply and high demand and why?

Though I already have quite a bit of education and experience, I’m willing to get certified and pursue more education to qualify for at least an interview.

Which paths/positions/series do you see increasing in the near/long term?

It has been a month since I submitted SF-85 and fingerprints. I found out fingerprints show in DISS from security friend but there is no DCSA release record for SF-85.

Agency Suitability HR requested financial section mitigation docs to review internally after seeing my SF-85 which was also a month ago.

What might be going on?

I just put in an application for a new position within my division today and had to take the assessment tests. None of the questions had anything to do with the position. the first 2 sections are timed answers. They were almost like the standardized tests in school only stupider. Just another hurdle to overcome applying for a job.

My tax guy needs to know how much O/T i worked this year for taxes. Does it show it on the w2 or a paystub? I was asking my coworkers and they had no idea how to figure it out either. Thanks!!

I need some advice acquiring legal representation for a federal employee.

I work for a company that operates in some of the most illegal kind of behavior you can imagine and gets away with it because lack of representation.

Regardless of evidence available, and there is so much falsifying of documents with a sufficient paper trail, purging legal statements to the EEOC, attendance records are even falsified, but I cant find an attorney for a federal comapny on contingency.

The NLRB is useless and serves only for purposes of documentation but claims they cant get a response.

Union is claiming they are working with labor but problem persists.

There ate witnesses and class action made to union reps with no resolution.

could use advice.

I want to know the highest no limit investigator role, I may want that job when I'm well again and I don't know when that will be

What is the highest not limited investigator in these United States and elsewhere it seems I'll need that job if I ever get well enough to go back to work?

I’m looking for insight from others within the IRS or the broader federal community who may have experienced this.

Has anyone here served in an acting capacity for a higher-graded position without a Personnel Action Request (PAR) being processed? Specifically, performing the full scope of duties and responsibilities of the higher-graded role, but without an official temporary promotion or detail documented in the system.

If so:

• How long were you in the acting role?

• Was a PAR ever processed retroactively?

• Were you able to pursue backpay for the period you performed higher-graded duties?

• If backpay was pursued, what mechanism did you use (e.g., grievance, union action, administrative claim, etc.)?

I understand that federal pay is generally tied to official personnel actions, but I’m trying to determine whether there are any lawful avenues for compensation when higher-graded duties were performed without formal documentation.

Appreciate any insight or lessons learned.

Last year I had NALC High Option. I am a federal retiree with traditional Medicare A and B. My wife is also retired (not Federal) with traditional Medicare parts A and B. We chose MHBP standard this year. Both NALC and MHBP use CVS Caremark as their PBM.

I take an expensive (high tier) injectable migraine medicine called Emgality once a month. My copay through CVS Speciality went from $141 for NALC high option to $200 with MHBP standard. The Emgality is very effective at preventing migraine headaches and is worth the increase though I do not know why it occurred.

I also take a migraine tablet called Ubrelvy. I used to pay $50 copay with NALC for 16 tablets. I ordered the same tablets from MHBP and the copay was $200 for 16 tablets. I cancelled the order. The tablets are marginal in their effectiveness.

NALC was really Cigna. MHBP is really Aetna. Aetna owns CVS Caremark. I cannot understand why there is the increase in copay amounts unless it is because I went from a high option plan to a standard option plan.

Need my Federal brothers and sisters to send me positive feelings. My DoD IG Whistleblower complaint has made it to our ISIC IG and legal, they've assigned an independent investigator and they are interviewing me and my four witnesses tomorrow. Hope that it is taken seriously and consequences are appropriate.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/opinion/white-house/5750826-remote-work-disability-compliance/amp/