Judgment of the Government: answer to your questions
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As the closure slows, more and more federal employees are called back to work – unpaid, at least for the foreseeable future – to keep the key tasks running smoothly. Despite this, many operations are affected and it can be difficult to keep the billion mark to build a wall at the US-Mexico border.
The President should propose to the Democrats another proposal to end the closure of his country when he will address the nation Saturday afternoon from the White House. Trump should not give up his request for a border wall, but propose a plan to lure Democrats with other concessions.
Are there any foods I should avoid?
The US Food and Drug Administration resumed on Tuesday some food safety inspections that have been halted since the market closed.
But even when inspectors are back to work – without pay – some experts still have safety issues and recommend avoiding this problem. some foods.
Is it safe to travel?
Yes. Personnel problems, such as unplanned absences from employees of the Transportation Security Administration, could become a security issue, although experts say it's far away. The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that it would recall thousands of fired workers, adding to air traffic controllers and other FAA employees who had been working without pay since the beginning.
Some airports have experienced longer wait times at security checkpoints, while others have reduced operations. However, the TSA maintains that most transactions are proceeding normally.
In the interim, investigations are pending on major incidents involving aircraft, trains and vehicles, with National Transportation Safety Board workers also on leave.
Is the army affected?
Most military personnel are not affected by a bill to finance the Ministry of Defense adopted in September.
However, the US Coast Guard is under the Department of Homeland Security, and thousands of active duty military personnel who worked until closing remained unpaid on Tuesday. It was the first time that members of the armed forces were not paid for a closure, said the highest-ranking Coast Guard official.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is fully funded for fiscal year 2019 and all operations will continue normally during the closure.
Are US diplomatic outposts safe?
Yes. The State Department ordered employees to return to work this week, saying it needed embassies, consulates and US national offices with all their staff to ensure national security. The ministry said it would find money to pay workers for a while despite the closure.
Staff members were fired because officials thought the closure would end sooner, they said. And while operations are ongoing, offices and positions should stick to a tight budget for contract, travel and other expenses.
What about weather forecasts?
As the closure continues, the country is vulnerable to the next hurricane season and other extreme weather events.
The hurricane season does not begin until June, but forecasters and researchers use it during the off-season to refine and improve storm forecasting models, methods, and techniques. Now, much of this research is in danger.
Will I receive my mail?
Yes. The postal service does not use federal credits for operations, but rather postage sales, products and services.
Will I receive my tax refund?
Yes, but this has a cost for employees of the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS this week ordered tens of thousands of employees to return to work without pay as the tax season approaches. The decision to process tax returns away from the IRS policy of not paying repayments during the government shutdown.
Will I receive my food stamps?
Food vouchers are funded until the month of February. The Department of Agriculture says it is working with states to grant February benefits sooner than usual, by January 20. Some beneficiaries may receive an abnormally high payment, intended to last an additional month, which could lead to confusion.
The Special Supplementary Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, is also funded until February. Children's nutrition programs, including lunches, lunches and meals after school, are funded until March.
Is social security affected?
No, social security services are not affected and benefits will continue to arrive on time.
How are Amerindian tribes affected?
Tribes that rely on federal funds for services, such as health clinics and pantries, are affected.
About 1.9 million Native Americans and natives of Alaska receive funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, administered by the Department of the Interior, one of the largest agencies affected by the market closure.
For a Chippewa tribe in Michigan, the costs would rise to $ 100,000 a day from government closures.
Can I still visit national parks?
Some are completely closed. Others are still open, but with little or no staff.
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park in Atlanta will reopen on Saturday before the federal holiday with financial assistance from Delta Air Lines. It will remain open for 16 days, which means that travelers to the Super Bowl on February 3rd will also have the opportunity to visit the sites, added the Parks Department.
In other parks, local volunteers are mobilizing until the government reopens.
What about Smithsonian Museums?
All Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo are now closed.
What happens to lawsuits?
Up to now, federal courts have sought to find funds to keep things running smoothly and to pay workers, but court offices will soon be running out of money. 39; money. After that, the essential staff would work without pay.
More than 40,000 immigration hearings were canceled due to the closure of the office, a report said. Immigration courts handling cases of people who are not in detention will be reinstated after the government reopens. The cases of people in detention are proceeding as planned.
Can I get married in Washington?
Yes. Because of the unique way in which the capital is governed, some municipal functions, including the granting of marriage licenses, are affected by the closure.
But the mayor of Washington signed the LOVE Act, temporarily allowing a city agent to issue marriage licenses at the closing so that couples could get the tax benefits and homeownership that come back to them.
Are Presidents ] Members of Congress Paid?
Yes. The salaries of the president and congressmen are included in the Constitution and are not financed by annual appropriations.
Since taking office, Trump has donated his salary, paid quarterly, to various federal departments. And some members of Congress give their paychecks to charities.
Do federal workers get a hand?
Federal employees working – or not working – without pay could probably use a beer. Now everyone can buy the next drinks tour for those concerned.
American workers also get help from their friends across the border: Canadian air traffic controllers order pizzas from their American counterparts.
Food banks have also intensified to provide meals and produce to public servants.
Will federal workers get their pay back?
Approximately 800,000 federal employees are required to work or stay at home without pay. Both houses of Congress passed a law to guarantee the salary arrears of fired federal employees, which Trump signed this week.
Contract workers, however, may not be so lucky. The question of whether they are paid depends on their employer
Some Democratic senators have introduced a bill to ensure that low-wage federal contractors receive a salary in return. A similar House bill is stalled in 2017.
Should fired employees return to work if the government requests it?
Yes. Employees recalled to work must report. Most, including those from the IRS and the FAA, will work without pay. The State Department has promised to find a way to pay the recalled workers for a pay period, although they are not paid for the time spent on residency leave before the government reopens.
So why do not employees simply refuse to work without pay? Well, it's illegal for federal employees to go on strike. If they did, they could be fired as soon as the government reopened.
Can Federal Employees Take Paid Vacation ?
Any leave with pay is canceled during the closure, in accordance with the instructions of the Office of Management and Budget. Employees may be able to postpone already scheduled holidays from last year once the government has reopened.
What about the benefits of federal workers?
The health insurance coverage will be maintained and the premiums accumulated during the closure will be withheld on the pay check after the reopening of the government. The life insurance coverage lasts up to one year at no cost to the employee or the agency.
However, requests for flexible spending accounts will not be refunded until the end of the closure. And the premiums for long-term care and for dental and visual insurance will accumulate, and then the employees will be billed directly.
Nor can workers contribute to savings plans, their federal retirement savings accounts. They can borrow money on these accounts, but only if the closure should last less than 30 days. Employees can withdraw accounts when they are 59 or half years old or they are facing "financial hardship".
Can dismissed employees get another job or solicit donations?
Employees looking for another job must stay by the standards and rules of ethical conduct of the executive branch, as well as by all relevant rules of the agency. These rules could limit the type of work they can undertake, as well as the money they can earn. And there is always the possibility that employees can be called to their positions in government with very short notice.
In the meantime, some laid-off employees have created GoFundMe pages, soliciting donations to help them survive the closure, even though it may be against the law. 19659004] Federal employees may have difficulty getting answers to their questions on ethics: only three of the 68 employees of the Ethics Office work during the closure.
Can federal employees apply for unemployment insurance?
It depends. If they have to work without being paid, then no. Workers on leave may be eligible and the requirements vary from state to state. According to the Office of Personnel Management, most states issue payments within 21 days of filing an application.
In addition, most states – and Washington – require federal workers to pay unemployment benefits when they recover their wages.
Do federal employees receive financial assistance?
Some banks and caisses populaires offer financial assistance to federal workers, including payday loans and interest-free loans.
However, bids are meant for short term emergency situations and might not be as helpful to employees as the stoppage continues.
Can Federal Employees Resign or Retire?
Some federal employees who are tired of uncertainty may decide to resign and entrust their talents to the private sector, a difficult decision to make, given the obstacles that many of them have had to overcome . landing a job in the federal public service
Most employees who planned to retire had already submitted the relevant documents several months in advance. They retire as of the date indicated, regardless of the stop.
Those who have not asked to retire should probably wait until the government reopens to do so. And they could face processing delays due to the closure.
Greg Wallace of CNN contributed to this report.
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