‘I question my faith in the federal government being a stable career option’

I am a seasonal Forest Service employee and making plans for next season and beyond. As long as the shutdown continues, I will not hear back from government jobs and I continue to question my faith in the federal government being a stable career option.

The president runs the country like a mob boss and currently is holding part of the federal government on ransom. I have little hope he’ll do what’s right. This sets a precedent for Democrats shutting down government to fulfill any campaign promise as well. You may agree on this issue, but will you always? Brendan, forestry technician, Davenport, Iowa

‘I am most likely going to have to request a furlough to get a second job in order to pay my bills’

I am a federal law enforcement officer. I have been forced to work without pay. I have now been sent to the United States-Mexico border for 21 days on a program called “Border Surge”. Every 21 days a group of federal law enforcement officers are being taken away from their families and normal duty stations and sent to the border to supplement border patrol operations. This is costing the American taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars a month and requiring officers to be away from their families for extended periods of time with more financial burden due to the fact they’re in travel status.

I’m not a border patrol agent and I’m working as if I am. I am most likely going to have to request a furlough to get a second job in order to pay my bills. I pay rent to the government in the house they require me to live in. This is a terrible situation that’s putting a great deal of stress on myself and family. I feel like I’m being held hostage by my employer requiring me to work without pay. Anon, federal law enforcement officer, Florida

‘Without a paycheck during the biggest purchase of my life, my finances are dire’

I am two weeks away from closing on my first home, something I have been saving for years to do. Now without a paycheck during the biggest purchase of my life, my finances are dire. I live on the border and see firsthand that a wall is not what we need, it is a huge waste of money and such a foolish idea. I do not support the wall but I need my job back. Anon, biologist, Arizona

‘The closure is not simply about unpaid leave’

Our national historical park has been closed since 21 December and this has resulted in a closed museum, closed cultural center, closed visitor center, cancelled school field trips and educational programs, cancelled events by community organizations that were to be held at the park.

About 80 park staff were furloughed (without pay). Our role as steward of irreplaceable cultural and natural heritage is in abeyance – with all that entails regarding potential damage, deprived use and delayed preservation and community engagement. Anon, National Park Service supervisory ranger, Lowell, Massachusetts

‘We’ve taken my son out of daycare to save money’

My wife works at the IRS and has been furloughed due to the most recent shutdown. This means she is not working and will not receive her mid-month paycheck on 11 January, something we depend on. I am a teacher for students with disabilities and do not make a lot of money. We have three children of our own to support at home and this sudden removal of half our combined income has caused a great deal of unneeded stress on our lives.

My wife has filed for unemployment and taken out a loan from her 401(k). We’ve taken my son out of daycare to save money and we will need to use all of our savings if that check doesn’t come. I tried to become a Lyft driver but my car will not pass inspection due to a busted tailgate panel that will cost $800 to fix. If we don’t get paid by February, I will need to sell my car. Tyler, teacher, Austin, Texas

‘I seriously resent that my paycheck is a pawn in this political game’

I work at the Nasa Kennedy Space Center and was furloughed a couple weeks ago. My last paycheck is running out and I only have a few hundred in savings, so I took out a loan at the credit union to cover bills. While I take responsibility for not having more in savings, which would have greatly reduced my stress, I seriously resent that my paycheck is a pawn in this political game.

My fear is that if this goes on too long, I will start missing mortgage payments and risk losing my house that I just bought a year ago. I was homeless once and don’t ever want to go back to that. Rachel Cox, mechanical engineer, Florida

‘I saw my last paycheck before the Christmas holiday’

I’m considered an essential IRS employee – I work in Remittance, where tax payments are received – so although I’ve not been furloughed, I saw my last paycheck before the Christmas holiday, while I continue to report for work each day.

Much of the building I work in is empty, as most of my colleagues have been on furlough for the past three weeks. As you would expect, morale has taken a nosedive, as we were all expecting this to resolve soon after the beginning of the year. People here are professionals, and so are still getting the job done despite the circumstances. You cannot call in sick or take any time off for any reason, or you will be considered awol and risk losing your job. As a result, people here are coming to work ill. Oddly enough, there are some here that are behind Trump all the way – they remain a very vocal minority, but I would seriously doubt the number that support his “views” is anywhere near 100%, at least in this facility. Anon, IRS worker, Kentucky

‘With government shutdown I can’t get my money’

My farm’s operation is suffering due to the FSA [Farm Service Agency] not being open: I cannot get my commodity checks signed by them. Since I have loans with the FSA their name is on every check and with government shutdown I can’t get my money.

I was down to $175 in all of my accounts because of past bills just now going through. I’m not the only farmer affected! The USDA/FSA does not need to be shut down over his darn wall. I fear now that I’ll lose everything. Anon, rancher/farmer, Nebraska

‘I am single mom with two kids, I am not getting paid’

I am in the same boat as my 800,000 government brethren. I am a single mom with two kids, I am not getting paid, I am still expected to show up for work. I have bills and a mortgage and am expected to continue to pay them. How? I am also expected to feed my family and pets. Without money, how am I to do that? How will I get to work if my car is impounded? Where will I live when my house is foreclosed? Does anyone out there care that 800,000 people are held hostage by the US government?

Morale is at an all-time low at work. Everyone walks around with worried faces. How can Congress (both parties) sleep at night? Oh, that’s right, they received a $10,000 raise and continue to get paid on schedule! I have written my congressmen and women urging them to put a stop to this nonsense. If this continues another day, I will be unable to pay my bills. Rose Anne, federal aviation airway transportation systems specialist, Poway, California