1. Partial Government Shutdown The Employment System’s Response
Presentation to Employment System Advisory Committee
Dan Zeitlin, Employment System Policy Director
March 14, 2019

2. Federal Workforce in WA
~74,000 federal workers in Washington
About 16,000 federal workers in state affected by shutdown
Protect waters and borders, ensure air safety, maintain national parks, and protect our food supply

3. Federal Workforce in WA

4. Supporting federal workers
Federal workers furloughed by the shutdown were eligible for unemployment benefits
During the shutdown we served 2,300 federal workers compared to 146 during the same period last year
Federal workers generally expect stability in their jobs

5. Supporting federal workers
Adjusting to serve an influx of furloughed federal workers
Specialized team, adjudicators and collectors, to handle claims
Innovative outreach strategies
Daily oversight of ad hoc processes, agency-wide efforts to overcome obstacles

6. Supporting federal workers
Workers required to stay on the job without pay presented different challenges
Sought to include them in definition of “unemployed”
Appropriation bill signed within hours of emergency rule

7. Assistance Beyond UI
UI benefits alone were not going to completely fill the void of a missed paycheck
Other financial support was needed to aid these workers and support the state’s economy
Collaboration with other state agencies and business leaders from varied industries
Maintained lines of communications state agencies, as well as key partners in the workforce development system

8. Collecting Back Pay
Since workers received back pay for the shutdown, we need to re-collect the benefits paid
Clear, transparent communication from initial claim forward
Adjudication and collection processes centered on empathy

9. Learning from the experience
Lessons learned here are being immediately applied to our economic cycle planning
A sudden, fairly unpredictable event
Response required changes to ESD rules, policies and procedures and unique guidance to claims centers
Budget planning to serve customers with existing state, rather than federal, funds
Lines of communication with other state agencies dealing with the shutdown
Lines of communication with local workforce development areas, particularly as we began to see potential impacts throughout local communities