Help and assistance programs for furloughed federal workers in the DC region

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Some companies and local governments in the D.C. region are offering help to federal workers, many of whom are being furloughed and won’t be paid during the government shutdown.

Tens of thousands of federal workers are expected to be furloughed as President Donald Trump’s administration also threatened mass firings over the shutdown.

Here are assistance programs and supports for federal workers and others impacted by the shutdown:

Utilities

Pepco and Baltimore Gas and Electric: 

• Flexible payment options: Both companies offer payment arrangements up to 12 months and budget billing plans, according to a news release.
• Late payment charge waivers: Affected customers can get a 30-day waiver on late payment charges in increments.
• Proactive resources: Pepco has an Assistance Finder tool and Single Stop, which helps customers find programs they may qualify for. BGE has a self-service Assistance Finder.

Pepco and BGE said customers won’t be asked to provide a government ID to get access to support.

Details from BGE can be found here. Details from Pepco can be found here.

WSSC Water:

• Maryland’s largest water utility will suspend service turnoffs and waive late fees for customers directly impacted by the government shutdown, according to a news release.
• Lyn Riggins, a WSSC spokesperson, told WTOP that customers of the water utility company are “not going to have to worry about a water service turn off,” if they can’t pay their bills during the shutdown.
• Riggins said the water utility’s Get Current program, which offers forgiveness for a portion of a customer’s bill, and which was to have wrapped up at the end of October, is being extended by a month.

Washington Gas:

• The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, provides grants to help families pay for their gas bills. The program application reopened Wednesday through the Department of Energy and Environment.

Finances

Credit unions are offering resources to assist federal workers and military families affected by the government shutdown

Michele Evermore, senior fellow at the National Academy of Social Insurance, advises federal employees to check with their banks if they need help in paying their bills, making credit card payments or need a loan.

“I just signed into the U.S. Senate Federal Credit Union and they have available a $5,000 no-interest loan for people who are furloughed,” she said,

Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO and board president at the Blue Star Families, told WTOP that military credit unions are offering similar breaks.

“And it’s important to know that their banks will work with them,” she said.

Credit unions and relief:

• Navy Federal Credit Union is offering eligible members that may be impacted by paycheck disruptions during the shutdown maximum $6,000 loans based on how much the last eligible direct deposit was.
• PenFed Credit Union is offering paycheck protection loans, payment skips and assistance for home loans.
• USAA is helping members with 0% interest loans up to $6,000, and special payment arrangements for auto and property insurance premiums as well as life and health insurance.
• First Command is offering a 0% annual percentage rate pay advance loan with no fees or interest charges.

Virginia

Available support includes: 

• Federal employees and contractors can’t be evicted or foreclosed on during a federal government shutdown, under state law.

Alexandria:

• The city of Alexandria is offering short-term relief resources to residents and businesses, according to a news release from the city.
• In terms of enforcement relief, there are extended payment plans available to people directly impacted by the shutdown, though penalties and interest will accrue.

Maryland

Available support includes: 

• Furloughed federal employees can apply for unemployment insurance benefits. They would have to pay back those benefits after the shutdown ends and they receive retroactive pay.
• Furloughed federal employees who are at risk of eviction or foreclosure can ask the court for a temporary pause. Unlike in Virginia, those protections don’t apply to contractors.
• The state has protections in place to prevent electric and gas companies from shutting off service to furloughed employees who are missing bills. Those protections kick in on the eighth day of a government shutdown.
• Should the shutdown continue, the Federal Shutdown Loan Program will open on Oct. 6. The program offers a $700 no-interest loan to impacted employees, which must be paid back 45 days after the shutdown ends.

WTOP’s Will Vitka, Ciara Wells and Kate Ryan contributed to this report.

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