"Although there aren't hard numbers, the federal government workforce likely has a larger proportion of LGBTQ+ people than the American workforce overall, says David Stacy, vice president of government affairs at the Human Rights Campaign. Many of these employees are considered essential and are working without pay. By law, those working without pay and those furloughed are entitled to back pay once the shutdown ends."
"Then there are the federal programs on which many Americans depend. A key one is the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps low-income people buy groceries. Two federal courts have ordered the administration to find a way to provide either full or partial SNAP benefits during the shutdown. Officials at the Department of Agriculture, which runs the program, previously said they will release only enough emergency funds to cover half of recipients, although more money is available."
The federal shutdown is the longest in U.S. history and affects LGBTQ+ people alongside others, in some cases more severely. Many federal employees are likely LGBTQ+, and essential staff are working without pay while furloughed workers await promised back pay. The administration has signaled potential unlawful attempts to avoid paying back wages and sought to fire thousands of workers during the shutdown, actions blocked by a federal judge with pending appeals. Critical programs such as SNAP face funding uncertainty; courts ordered continued benefits, while the Department of Agriculture limited emergency funds and administration officials gave conflicting statements about funding.
Read at Advocate.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]