DENVER — As the government shutdown drags on, federal workers across the state have been laid off, furloughed or are required to work without pay. Unemployment benefits are available for some of those cases.
Here's what federal employees in Colorado need to know, depending on your specific situation. Click on any of the links below to take you right to that section of this story.
- I have been furloughed
- I was furloughed and then laid off
- I am a federal worker who is working without pay
- I was laid off before the government shutdown started
I have been furloughed
If you have been furloughed, you can apply for unemployment benefits. However, you will be required to pay back the pre-tax amount you received when you eventually get your back pay.
What do I need?
Your duty station must be located in Colorado to receive unemployment benefits in Colorado. You may live in Colorado but have a duty station in another state — that is the state where you would apply for unemployment benefits.
You should file as soon as possible after your last day of work. Do not apply prior to being furloughed.
You must have earned $2,500 in wages during the last 18 months. If you have not been working for 18 months, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) suggests submitting paystubs and other proof of income that you do have while they work with your agency of employment to confirm the actual wages.
How do I apply?
Start your application for benefits by clicking here. Make sure any pop-up blockers are disabled.
Select the box that indicates "If you are out of work because of the federal government shutdown, select this checkbox first and then select Layoff below."
Then select "layoff" as the option for "What was the reason for separation?"
After that, a prompt will ask, "Have you been notified by this employer of a definite return to work date within 16 weeks of the date you separated?" Select "Yes."
The application will ask what your return to date is. The CDLE is directing applicants to put in "January 5, 2026" since an end date to the shutdown is not yet known.
CDLE officials told Denver7 said it can take between 4-6 weeks to process a claim and come to a decision.
Furloughed workers are considered "job attached" so they do not have to search for work in order to receive unemployment benefits.
Furloughed workers who received unemployment benefits will need to pay back the gross, pre-tax amount they received once they are given their back pay. They will be able to include that in their tax returns. There is no interest on those re-payments and the State said payment plans are an option. Call Benefit Payment Control at 303-318-9035 to set up the re-payments.
For more resources for federal employees and reemployment support: Click here.
I was furloughed and then laid off
What do I need?
Your duty station must be located in Colorado to receive unemployment benefits in Colorado. You may live in Colorado but your duty station is in another state — that is the state where you would apply for unemployment benefits.
You should file as soon as possible after your last day of work. Do not apply prior to being furloughed or laid off.
You must have earned $2,500 in wages during the last 18 months. If you have not been working for 18 months, the CDLE suggests submitting paystubs and other proof of income that you do have while they work with your agency of employment to confirm the actual wages.
What if I already applied for unemployment when I was furloughed but now have been laid off?
Applicants should report the separation on their weekly certification.
How do I apply?
Start your application for benefits by clicking here. Make sure any pop-up blockers are disabled.
Select the box that indicates "If you are out of work because of the federal government shutdown, select this checkbox first and then select Layoff below."
Then select "layoff" as the option for "What was the reason for separation?"
After that, a prompt will ask, "Have you been notified by this employer of a definite return to work date within 16 weeks of the date you separated?" Select "No."
Employees that have been laid-off are required to search for work in order to receive unemployment benefits.
The CDLE said it can take between 4-6 weeks to process a claim and come to a decision.
For more resources for federal employees and reemployment support: Click here.
I am a federal worker who is working without pay
Federal workers who are currently working without pay are considered "accepted employees" and are not considered separated from employment. The federal government has given direction to states that these employees are not eligible for unemployment benefits.
I was laid off before the government shutdown started
What do I need?
Your duty station must be located in Colorado to receive unemployment benefits in Colorado. You may live in Colorado but have a duty station in another state — that is the state where you would apply for unemployment benefits.
You must have earned $2,500 in wages during the last 18 months. If you have not been working for 18 months, the CDLE suggests submitting paystubs and other proof of income that you do have while they work with your agency of employment to confirm the actual wages.
How do I apply?
Start your application for benefits by clicking here. Make sure any pop-up blockers are disabled.
Do not check the box that says you were laid off because of the shutdown.
Fill out the application based on your specific circumstances and include whether or not you received severance pay.
Employees that have been laid-off are required to search for work in order to receive unemployment benefits.
For more resources for federal employees and reemployment support: Click here.
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