Are You a Federal Worker Who's Not Getting Paid? Gov. Newsom Says California Can Help

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a message for the many federal workers in the state who are going unpaid during the prolonged federal government shutdown: We’ve got your back.

Newsom tweeted Friday afternoon, “Hundreds of thousands of fed employees will miss a paycheck today. The lives of millions of families are being needlessly interrupted.”

California has the highest number of federal workers in the nation and well over half are affected by the partial shutdown.

The governor this week urged furloughed federal employees to apply for unemployment benefits from the state and vowed they would be made “quickly eligible.”

Weekly benefits would range from $40 to $450, depending on earnings and are available for up to 26 weeks, according to the state Employment Development Department website.

However, employees who later receive retroactive wages from the federal government will be required to return their benefits to the state, according to the agency.

Newsom’s actions come after U.S. President Donald Trump criticized California for its wildfire management and threatened to withhold federal funds for helping disaster victims.

After budget talks fell through over Trump’s demand to spend $5.7 billion in border wall construction funding by December 22, the federal government entered into a partial shutdown.

On Friday, sources told NPR the White House has been trying to find alternative ways to fund the wall, including siphoning disaster funds for the cause.

Newsom called the move “unconscionable” and said Trump was “trying to take funds away from California communities devastated by natural disasters to pay for an immoral wall that America doesn’t need or want.” Newsom said, “These games need to end.”

For more information on how to apply, furloughed federal employees should check out the EDD website, call 1-800-300-5616 or visit an EDD office in person.