Federal workers talk financial concerns

The Post on Monday asked federal employees to share their strategies for dealing with time off and financial uncertainty during the slowdown in operations. We encourage workers to submit more of their thoughts.

In the meantime, here are some of the stories we’ve gathered from previous responses:

Craig Granville, a Defense Department employee from Virginia Beach, said he is nearly out of money and concerned about paying for his spouse’s lupus medication. “I just received a partial paycheck this payday, but I do not know what I will get on the 25th of October,” he said. “I have no support to help me through this shutdown.”

Sonya Geathers, who works for the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, said she does not know whether she can make ends meet as the sole breadwinner in her household. “The stress is a lot more acute when you live alone and don’t have anyone to share these concerns with or work through the issues with,” she said.

Elizabeth LaBlanc, a NASA employee living in Texas, said she planned to file for unemployment. “I may seek a second job soon,” she said. LaBlanc added that her grandmother’s health is “declining quickly” just a few day shy of her 100th birthday. “I had to travel to go see her during the furlough,” she said.

For more information on the shutdown, read about:

Recent competing proposals from Senate and House Republicans.

Negotiations between the White House and GOP leaders.

To connect with Josh Hicks, follow his Twitter feed or e-mail  josh.hicks@washpost.com. For more federal news, visit The Federal Eye, The Fed Page and Post Politics. E-mail federalworker@washpost.com with news tips and other suggestions.