If you’re on the federal payroll and money is already tight, the looming government shutdown is likely stressing you out.
It may not be lost on the affected workers or businesses that the political fight that could derail their financial lives, leaving them scrambling to pay their bills, is about the long-running federal deficit.
Current spending laws expire on Sept. 30, which means a shutdown would pause the paychecks of tens of thousands of federal employees throughout the country.
During past shutdowns, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidance on how the funding lapse might impact workers, ranging from unemployment benefits to how health insurance premiums would be handled. Here’s what you need to know based on the information OPM has issued previously.