Federal workers seek loans, second jobs as shutdown lingers

OGDEN, Utah (AP) – Families are making tough decisions as 800,000 federal employees miss their first paycheck Friday because of the government shutdown.
The workers are scaling back spending, canceling trips, and taking out loans to stay afloat, with no end in sight for a partial shutdown that’s entering its 21st day and will be the longest in history by this weekend.
Rachael Weatherly is a senior adviser for the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Maryland, but she’s considering trying to get a job at a grocery store and has applied for unemployment benefits.
Tiauna Guerra is a furloughed IRS worker in Ogden, Utah, who’s taking out a loan to make her car payment.
Nationwide, some workers are relying on donations, including launching online fundraising campaigns. Food pantries have opened up in several locations.