LAKEWOOD, Colo. — As Day 2 of the government shutdown comes to an end and the White House says layoffs are "imminent", federal employees and union leaders in Colorado say anxiety levels are "high" throughout the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood.
Denver7 spoke with Miles Batson, a chemist at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the executive vice president for AFGE Council 238, which represents hundreds of federal employees throughout Colorado.
"It's been rewarding. I like my job," Batson said of his job at the EPA. "I enjoy the mission of the EPA. I really like the chemistry that I do recently."
Batson said he's worked for the EPA for the past five years. He said when the government shutdown Tuesday night, worry quickly set in.
"What's going through my head is, A: How long is this going to last?" he said. "I'm concerned for people that we represent at the EPA, and making sure that their livelihoods and their well-being are as well kept as possible."
Batson went on to say recent news of "imminent layoffs" from the White House worry him even more.
"The vibe it has is high anxiety levels. The vibe is concerning," he said. "The vibe is one of uncertainty."
He told Denver7 employees working for the EPA at the Denver Federal Center are still working because of "carry-over funds", though it's uncertain when those will run out and they will be furloughed.
"We don't know when those funds might end," Batson said. "I know other agencies have already started furloughing staff, but at the EPA, we are still operating as normal for who knows how long."
Batson isn't alone in any of this. In Colorado, there are about 54,000 federal employees, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE).
The CDLE posted the following alerts and banners on its website, offering help to any federal workers who may need it.
"We offer partial wage replacement through programs like unemployment insurance and paid family leave, and in a time like this, those benefits can be helpful to those who may suddenly find themselves out of work," said Cher Haavind, the deputy executive director for the CDLE. "In this instance, with a government shutdown, a worker may choose to apply for unemployment insurance benefits."
Haavind told Denver7 so far, less than a dozen federal employees have filed a claim. During the 2018-2019 government shutdown, she said more than 2,000 federal workers filed claims.
"We're early into the shutdown," Haavind added.
She also told Denver7 if a federal worker files for a claim and receives monetary help, they do have to pay that money back to the state once the government shutdown ends.
"We're not quite sure what we will actually see in terms of volume of claims, again, because Congress did pass a back-pay authorization after the last shutdown. It's very likely that we won't see a large spike in unemployment claims," she added.
Still, for those like Batson, worry looms.
"I can exist without a paycheck for a bit. Luckily, I don't have too big of a family or expenses. But, you know, that's a hardship in itself, but to be threatened with removal notices is a whole different stressor," he said.
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