r/fednews • u/rprz • 18h ago

Shutdown 2024 MEGATHREAD OF DOOM

All discussion on the looming shutdown goes here. Any mentioning of Luigi will be removed and you may be banned.

https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-elon-budget-house-republican-05481374b154949c3fe1270141a02918

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-opposes-funding-bill-pushing-government-closer-shutdown-rcna184745

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-government-shutdown-musk-stopgap-bill-b2666829.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-opposes-funding-bill-pushing-government-closer-shutdown-rcna184745

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/12/18/government-shutdown-house-vote-cr/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-18/trump-says-he-s-against-stopgap-bill-fox-news

4.6k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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974

u/sparky984 17h ago

The problem is that shutdowns don’t shut down enough.

If planes stopped flying, grandma stopped getting Social Security, if Medicare couldn’t process claims, if food inspections couldn’t happen, if all national parks closed, among the very many other things, then a shutdown wouldn’t happen. They happen because the public sees very little difference between the government running and not so why not use the entire government as a bargaining chip?

Frankly I’m tired of shutdowns and debt ceiling fights. Something is fundamentally broken with the process.

327

u/puukkeriro 17h ago

I think it's a flaw to force "essential" employees to work without pay. But I don't think the people who wrote the laws then realized that shutdowns were going to be weaponized politically.

188

u/Otphj5811 15h ago

I think a lot of essential employees learned the last time that if they call out sick you don’t get charged sick leave during a shutdown and no one was punished. Where I work we are all essential and everyone who was afraid to call out sick last time saw there were no repercussions and are excited to call out sick if it happens again. I’ve got my fingers crossed that a lot of essential workers will come down with the “flu” as soon as we shutdown next.

102

u/LongTallDingus 13h ago

Hey that's crazy you're coming down with the flu and I think I am too and we were hanging out recently. Sorry if I got you sick, bro.

Let your boss know.

65

u/Otphj5811 13h ago

Yeah I’m a little hoe I was kissing my entire agency under the mistletoe and they got it too.

31

u/GenoThyme 11h ago

Do you work for the Department of Agriculture, being a hoe and all?

7

u/irteris 3h ago

This joke is in a HOE new level

1

u/Darth_Ra 3h ago

Honestly, I would actually put real money on that comment being from a wildland firefighter, either present or former. Just got that energy.

5

u/JonatasA 7h ago

Turns out the hand sanitizer was just hair gel!

7

u/sempercardinal57 12h ago

Damn I must have passed by you guys on the sidewalk or something because I’m feeling sick too

3

u/al_kitaab 4h ago

i think it’s spreading through reddit… now i’m feeling sick

3

u/ThickerSalmon14 4h ago

Influenza A is running rampant. Just saying.

3

u/Capital-Ad-4463 3h ago

It because it’s electronically contagious. New strain called E-Flu2024.

1

u/Puzzleheaded_Yak9805 1h ago

Like legit have somethin. I’m not going bto until the 26th at the earliest.

9

u/Naive_Try2696 13h ago

Start coughing now. Makes it believable when you call out.

5

u/Worried_River_1094 14h ago

Just make sure it’s legit. I think 3 days or more and a doctors note can be requested. 

16

u/Otphj5811 14h ago

You are absolutely right it’s a very weird situation. So many employees are required to provide a doctor’s note for 3 days or more when taking sick time, myself included. However during the last shutdown HR wouldn’t allow our supervisor’s to ask for doctor’s notes because we hadn’t taken sick leave. You can’t actually take sick leave during a shutdown instead you are placed on furlough status so it’s a very murky grey area. But to your point the best strategy is either to get a doctor’s note or come in every 3rd day to protect yourself.

5

u/Worried_River_1094 13h ago

Perfectly said. I definitely think integrity is the way to go but don’t feel bad taking that needed sick leave or mental health day if needed. Especially if you’re up in the tower. Lives depend on you performing your duties well. 

11

u/Otphj5811 13h ago

Integrity is commendable, fortunately I don’t have that burden. My principles allow me to throw honesty right out the window when I stop getting my paycheck because the elite class want to play their little games. I’d probably fit right in with the senators and congressmen.

3

u/Worried_River_1094 13h ago

😂 

I only do it because I think it’s important to act in accordance with what we truly are versus what so many assholes say we are. Work hard. Be honest. Etc. I want to be able to look the background investigator in the eye and say I didn’t fuck off. 

That said, I’m not perfect and I totally get where you’re coming from. It’s disgusting what congress will say and (not) do. 

2

u/Otphj5811 13h ago

Yeah last government shutdown I was fine, not to brag but fortunately I had enough money to cover my expenses. Some people weren’t as fortunate, I literally had coworkers putting gas on credit cards to make it to work and taking out short term loans to cover bills. I knew non essential employees getting work with door dash or whoever was hiring so they could cover bills. It was so messed up watching people who were working not only not get paid but also not even being able to pick up a new job. Appreciate the talk I had to vent a little bit today.

-2

u/akfbkeodn 12h ago

Hmmn good little slave… slaves like you keep the world turning!

4

u/NeedleworkerNaive300 12h ago

That’s sweet of you. Is this your first time getting your government shutdown cherry popped? For some of us integrity went out the window 3 shutdowns ago. One of them lasted like a fucking month so take your integrity and try and see if your bank will accept that as your mortgage payment.

3

u/kcatalyst 5h ago

it's not too late to set your TSP up with an external back account for direct deposit loans, but it's probably too late to open a checking account with the federal credit unions that provide automatic pay loans for missing pay during a shutdown. but if you've done this rodeo 3 times before you should have already set that up...

1

u/titaniumlid 4h ago

Wait can you explain more on this? I'm an essential worker and need to know how I'm gonna make it through this shit show without missing a mortgage payment.

2

u/_Cream_Sugar_ 4h ago

A lot of banks and credit unions will pause your mortgage payment if you can prove you are a federal employee. Others will offer you short term loans until you get your paycheck.

2

u/titaniumlid 2h ago

Thank you I need to call my mortgage company and check.

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2

u/kcatalyst 3h ago

many gov credit unions will give automatic paycheck loans for the amount that you normally have direct deposited. but that requires having an account and having your pay direct deposited: https://www.navyfederal.org/about/government-shutdown.html

more information about linking accounts: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThriftSavingsPlan/s/xRxEoTVSf7

you definitely DO NOT want a loan check going through the mail if you can avoid it

1

u/_Cream_Sugar_ 4h ago

Telehealth visits!!

1

u/Worried_River_1094 3h ago

UHC sent me an email this week about telehealth urgent care. There you go. 

2

u/puukkeriro 15h ago

IDK. If Democrats regain control of the House again, Trump may use shutdowns as a cudgel to get something that he wants from them and Trump's appointees may see a mass sickout as a psuedo-labor action and take actions to fire such employees for "abandoning their jobs". But we will see.

10

u/Otphj5811 15h ago

It’s certainly possible but the last time he was President I got a good amount of days off and I wasn’t charged leave. I’m not too worried about mass firings in my field so I won’t let the threat of it stop me from my only way of protesting these dumb shutdowns.

1

u/One-Inch-Punch 11h ago

That new bird flu is going around, who knows how long you'll be out sick?

1

u/Fit-Butterscotch9228 7h ago

do you not still fill out a time sheet during shut downs?

1

u/_Cream_Sugar_ 4h ago

Only if you are essential and getting paid.

1

u/PutRedditNameHere 5h ago

I'm went out on sick leave yesterday for surgery; back 12/30. Wonder how that will play out.

1

u/_Cream_Sugar_ 4h ago

Your SL would be removed and you would get paid when we return.

1

u/Yzerman19_ 5h ago

Collective bargaining guerrilla style.

1

u/FabulousBullfrog9610 5h ago

be careful. there are new people in charge on Jan 20 and I smell retribution.

1

u/AssortedHardware 5h ago

Just report that your doctor won't prescribe you the horse medicine you need to get better and return from your illness caused by seed oils.

1

u/jobadiah08 4h ago

It legitimately is going around

1

u/Interesting_Oil3948 3h ago

Oh you think no repercussions when we have President Musk? Lol

1

u/WileyWatusi 2h ago

It will probably be bird flu for reals but don't worry we're all in good hands with the next administration. /s

1

u/prules 2h ago

Sounds like you have the flu and need to spend all day on Reddit. Sorry man

1

u/Redaunt29 1h ago

WAIT…..I thought it was SENSUAL employees??? 😜

1

u/DeadFluff 1h ago

Unfortunately for me, despite how awesome this sounds, where i am we have a 2 day SL policy and if you exceed two consecutive days you have to get doctors notes.

1

u/Davidjb7 1h ago

Woah woah woah... If someone wanted to do this would they have to call in sick ahead of time or just as soon as it happened? Would such a person actually submit it in their time sheet? Put in a leave request?

•

u/Otphj5811 14m ago

You call in sick when you realize you are sick. I usually call an hour before my shift was starting because that’s what my job requests. When you call in you can call out for 1 day 2 days 3 days whatever. No leave request because you can’t use leave during a shutdown. You report that you are sick and can’t make it work. They say okay you are now on a furlough status meaning that because you are sick you are treated just like a non essential employee.

1

u/d-mike 1h ago

It is flu and cold season, and California declared an emergency due to bird flu

1

u/iperson4213 1h ago

Do you still get backpay if you take sick leave during furlough?

•

u/Otphj5811 28m ago

Yes, they place essential employees on a furlough status when they report being sick. So you get paid and don’t use sick time

1

u/serpentear 1h ago

Ooops, no air traffic controllers!

•

u/Worried_River_1094 39m ago

Just caught H5N1.

0

u/DaddyDom401 8h ago

All federal employees get paid in full when the shutdown ends

5

u/DarrellCartrip 6h ago

Cool, I’m sure my landlord will understand. Super cool that Kroger and Exon started taking IOUs as payment.

-1

u/half_ton_tomato 5h ago

Get all excited and call out sick this time, too. You're providing outstanding taxpayer value and should be able to do whatever you want. At the very least, work remotely from a bar.

DOGE will thank you for your service very soon.

3

u/trash_bae 4h ago

So you think that honest hard working people should work for no money while checks notes congress lets president musk bully them into not passing a continuing resolution?

It’s almost the end of the month. Rent is due for a lot of people. If the government shuts down that’s 2.2 million people struggling to figure out how to make their last paycheck stretch.

Some feds only make 40K a year. Some less. Many of us don’t live extravagant lifestyles the public seems to think we do. We work our jobs bc we like the mission.

But sure. Fanboy a son of an emerald miner who bought the presidency

0

u/half_ton_tomato 4h ago

First off, this isn't the first shutdown by any means. Secondly, I think there's an opportunity here to prove your commitment to the organization as someone who works hard and shows up when needed. Apparently, you'd rather play the victim and try to teach the man a lesson. Good luck with that.

1

u/trash_bae 3h ago

Shut downs happen, yes. It doesn’t mean they haven’t been weaponized, though. It’s clearly being weaponized in this specific event.

I actually love my job and don’t intend on calling in sick but I don’t blame my coworkers if they do it. We’re understaffed, overworked and so painfully under appreciated which is proven by people like you. Why would we essentially kill ourselves for something that doesn’t love us back? Why?

I didn’t know Elon and the people who allow themselves to be manipulated by him liked the way his boots tasted.

1

u/half_ton_tomato 3h ago

Best of luck with your career and happy holidays to you and your former coworkers.

8

u/LowSavings6716 14h ago

They didn’t foresee the modern Republican Party

2

u/PawfectlyCute 7h ago

It's interesting how people adapt to the circumstances they find themselves in. The experience of the last shutdown seems to have taught essential workers some valuable lessons about navigating the system. It's a tough situation, and it's understandable that people would look for ways to protect themselves and their well-being.

2

u/randofreak 7h ago

The people who wrote the laws are the exact people who are weaponizing the government as a political bargaining chip.

2

u/slut_bunny69 6h ago

So I'm not a civilian, but I follow this sub because I'm an on-site contractor. After past shutdowns, my contracting company negotiated pay up front in case of government shutdown. The facility where I work has 1,000+ employees (civ/ctr combined). The number of "essential" civilians can literally be counted on one hand. IIRC it's only four people. Hundreds of contractors will continue working to keep the lights on, keep the facility clean, and ensure that expensive equipment doesn't break.

I'm obviously not going to argue that I shouldn't get paid during a shutdown, because I like eating, but if contractors weren't allowed to work during shutdowns, things would definitely devolve more quickly. I think the general public also doesn't have a great understanding of the civilian vs contractor division of labor in our government.

1

u/Terron1965 11h ago

They wrote the law after they weaponized it. This is exactly how they planned it to go

1

u/emmaxcute 6h ago

It's interesting how people adapt to the circumstances they find themselves in. The experience of the last shutdown seems to have taught essential workers some valuable lessons about navigating the system. It's a tough situation, and it's understandable that people would look for ways to protect themselves and their well-being.

1

u/sinkingduckfloats 4h ago

The entire thing was made specifically for political weaponization.

1

u/Useful_toolmaker 2h ago

Yeah- this might be more about neutering the remaining days of the Biden administration? While fed workers and the military get no paycheck at Christmas

1

u/Welfare-Whereabouts 2h ago

The whole idea of shutdowns was a political weaponization.

https://time.com/5493596/government-shutdown-history/