Federal Workers, Contractors Cautious As They Head Back To Work Post-Shutdown
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Thousands of federal employees are back to work today after the shutdown has been temporarily lifted.
Maryland was the third most affected state in the country by the shutdown.
"I've definitely been in good spirits," said De'Von Russell, a federal worker.
De'Von Russell, a 30-year-old from Oxon Hill, has been federally employed since 2016- the same year his daughter was born.
"She doesn't really understand it any of it so to her, it's just been being able to see Daddy a lot more in the house," Russell said.
Russell works as a security guard at the Smithsonian. He said surviving has been tough- and applied for unemployment for the first time.
"You're forced to pick and choose what bills are a priority. We continue to go to the Senate and talk to Senators and have these rallies and meetings to try to push forward to try to get something on the table for us," Russell said.
"This is one of the toughest situations we've seen for contracted federal employees," said Jaime Contreras, VP of SEIU Union. "These are people who already work two and three jobs and live paycheck to paycheck and what's happening to them is at no fault of their own. It's disgraceful,"
Rep. Elijah Cummings, R-Md., has provided resources for furloughed workers such as a late waiver bill fee waiver, and supplemental food programs.
"We could never ever pay them for the pain and suffering that they've been through but at the same time, we're going to make sure we do everything in our power to make sure they get their checks as fast as they possibly can and make sure this never happens again," Cummings said.
Russell said if they have another shutdown again in three weeks, it'll be back to the drawing board and join the unemployment line.
By Max McGee
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