Federal employees affected by shutdown eligible for unemployment

The partial government shutdown is just hours away from going into its 20th day and, starting Friday, federal employees will go without their first paycheck during the current shutdown.

Both Texas and New Mexico are offering unemployment benefits to federal employees who will not be paid as a result of the partial government shutdown.

The New Mexico Workforce Solutions Department released a video for federal employees affected by the shutdown explaining how they can apply for unemployment benefits as they go without pay starting Friday. In the five minute video, Bill McCamley, Acting Secretary of Workforce Solutions, gives a step-by-step process for federal employees to follow in order to receive the benefits.

“We’re going to do everything we can to get through it as smoothly as possible,” McCamley said in the video.”

According to the video, New Mexicans who are eligible for benefits are those who are furloughed, essential employees that are working without a paycheck and government contractors. If a federal employee qualifies as one of those three categories, they can apply for benefits by going to www.jobs.state.nm.us Monday through Saturday between 4 a.m. and 9 p.m. or call 1-877-664-6984 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

New Mexico is also waiving the job-search requirement for 180 days for furloughed and and federal employees only. Contractors affected by the shutdown will not be exempted by the job-search requirement.

However, if a federal employee is approved and receives back-pay, they are required to pay back any unemployment benefits they receive during the shutdown. The New Mexican government government will provide invoices to any who receive benefits to make sure the state is paid back. They will also have payment plans in order to help federal employees pay back what they owe.

“If your an employee and you end up getting back-pay when the shutdown ends, you’re going to have to pay back whatever unemployment you’ve got,” McCamley said. “So if you get unemployment and you use it to pay your rent, you use it to pay your mortgage or whatever, make sure your budgeting…to pay back unemployment.”

To see all the documents and forms required to apply, click HERE.

Texas is also supplying unemployment benefits to any federal employees affected by the shutdown.

Texas federal employees can apply by going to ui.texasworkforce.org or by calling 800-939-6631 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Texas federal employees who receive back-pay will also be required to pay back any unemployment benefits received during the shutdown once the shutdown ends.

To see the full list of requirements and steps, click HERE.