# Do Federal workers qualify for unemployment? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2019, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627 "2019-01-11T23:50:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/1 "2019-01-11T23:50:19Z")
Do unpaid Federal workers qualify for unemployment? What about the workers who are still working under the promise of back pay when the “crisis” is over? If workers get unemployment AND back pay, that’s a bonus for them in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![shellofmyformerself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@shellofmyformerself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shellofmyformerself)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/2 "2019-01-12T00:08:31Z")
It depends on their status but yes, they can qualify. However, here in Alabama (and maybe other states), if they get paid back pay from the federal government, they must pay back the unemployment they receive. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/3 "2019-01-12T02:33:35Z")
So the furloughed fed employees are basically just laid off, not really different except in scale than say Ford or GM shutting a few plants for a while? At least the federal employees can look forward to full back pay if past practice holds as opposed to the plant employees being SOL and out the money. And its not like their jobs have been eliminated, subcontracted, or off shored and won’t be coming back. ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/4 "2019-01-12T04:57:16Z")
> [@shellofmyformerself](#): > > It depends on their status but yes, they can qualify. However, here in Alabama (and maybe other states), if they get paid back pay from the federal government, they must pay back the unemployment they receive. Same thing in Kentucky, where I’ll be drawing my unemployment. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/5 "2019-01-12T16:14:43Z")
What happens to federal workers’ health insurance during the furlough? ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/6 "2019-01-12T16:24:11Z")
> [@MrKnowItAll](#): > > Same thing in Kentucky, where I’ll be drawing my unemployment. I don’t know if any workers would have received unemployment during the month of December, but if they did, they new tax law (the TCJA) has a gotcha for them. Remember that unemployment compensation is subject to federal income tax. So they will pay tax on it in 2018 (if they received it in 2018). If they repay it in 2019, the law does not permit them to claim any type of refund or credit of federal income tax if the amount repaid is $3000 or less. Previously, any repayment of $3000 or less could be claimed as a miscellaneous deduction subject to the 2% limit in the year it was repaid. Congress took a hatchet to all the 2% deductions and just eliminated them all. ---
**Author:** ![ElderSign](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eldersign/32/8263_2.png) [@ElderSign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElderSign)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/7 "2019-01-12T17:31:00Z")
They missed one paycheck but have been promised to get paid back. It is a (delayed) paid vacation. They will get screwed if thy file for unemployment. Sorry they did not save up 1-3 months of emergency money. Nothing happens to their health insurance. The ones who are taking out loans and using up credit cards to survive this partial shutdown ought to think about getting another job. If they are not essential, maybe we need to think what is the min. cost to run the government efficiently. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/8 "2019-01-12T17:59:41Z")
> [@ElderSign](#): > > They missed one paycheck but have been promised to get paid back. It is a (delayed) paid vacation. They will get screwed if thy file for unemployment. Sorry they did not save up 1-3 months of emergency money. > Nothing happens to their health insurance. > The ones who are taking out loans and using up credit cards to survive this partial shutdown ought to think about getting another job. > If they are not essential, maybe we need to think what is the min. cost to run the government efficiently. The problem is the definition of “essential”. For example, visa processors are not essential, but they are necessary. We can live without them for a short while, but at some point someone has to process the visas. Similarly for food inspectors, FHA loan approvers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/9 "2019-01-12T18:13:18Z")
> [@ElderSign](#): > > They missed one paycheck but have been promised to get paid back. “Promised” by many members of Congress, but not guaranteed. And I don’t believe the President has even promised to sign a bill to authorize retroactive pay? And I can’t comment on the rest of your post in GQ. ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/10 "2019-01-12T18:34:00Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > I don’t know if any workers would have received unemployment during the month of December, but if they did, they new tax law (the TCJA) has a gotcha for them. > > Remember that unemployment compensation is subject to federal income tax. So they will pay tax on it in 2018 (if they received it in 2018). If they repay it in 2019, the law does not permit them to claim any type of refund or credit of federal income tax if the amount repaid is $3000 or less. > > Previously, any repayment of $3000 or less could be claimed as a miscellaneous deduction subject to the 2% limit in the year it was repaid. Congress took a hatchet to all the 2% deductions and just eliminated them all. In Kentucky, there is an unpaid week before you can start claiming, And in my case, I was actually a bit late getting signed up because I didn’t think it would go so long. So all my unemployment will be 2019. ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/11 "2019-01-12T18:36:17Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > “Promised” by many members of Congress, but not guaranteed. And I don’t believe the President has even promised to sign a bill to authorize retroactive pay? > > And I can’t comment on the rest of your post in GQ. The last I heard, Congress has already passed a back pay resolution, and Trump has said he would sign it. Of course with Trump, who knows? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/12 "2019-01-12T18:41:56Z")
> [@bizerta](#): > > What about the workers who are still working under the promise of back pay when the “crisis” is over? The ones who are still working full time do not qualify for unemployment, even if they are not getting paid. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-federal-workers-qualify-for-unemployment/827627/13 "2019-01-12T20:02:45Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > The problem is the definition of “essential”. For example, visa processors are not essential, but they are necessary. We can live without them for a short while, but at some point someone has to process the visas. Similarly for food inspectors, FHA loan approvers, etc. Visa processing is continuing as normal - it is paid out of visa application fees, not general budget appropriations. The point stands for many, many other normal, necessary government functions, though.