It was with great concern that I read about federal employees furloughed during the government shutdown. Many stated they live from paycheck to paycheck and that their creditors have not been willing to extend deadlines on their bills.
So far I have not heard or read of anyone filing for unemployment benefits. Most likely, everyone is hoping the shutdown will be short-lived, and hopefully this will be the case.
Having worked with the unemployment insurance program for most of my career with the state of Utah, I would encourage furloughed workers to file claims. If they wait to file until they see no end to the shutdown, their claims will not be backdated to the last day of work. Also, they will be deferred from having to seek other work for a reasonable period of time.
They have nothing to lose and, if the shutdown continues, they will have some income to gain.
Sandra Williams, Salt Lake City