(The Center Square) – Federal workers collecting Georgia or Tennessee unemployment benefits could have to return some of the money if they are paid back wages after the federal shutdown ends, according to the respective labor departments.
The number of Tennessee furloughed federal workers collecting unemployment is not available, according to Chris Cannon, chief communications officer for the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
“TDLWD provides its federal claims data to USDOL, which they typically include in the weekly claims numbers they release. However, that data is currently embargoed since USDOL has not recently published it,” Cannon said in an email to The Center Square.
Nearly 110,000 federal workers in Georgia could be eligible for unemployment benefits, according to the Georgia Department of Labor.
Only federal employees who are not working can apply for unemployment. Those required to continue to work without pay, such as TSA agents, are not eligible, according to the departments.
The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 assures federal employees will receive back pay for furlough periods once funding is restored.
The unemployment benefits received for the same time frame must be repaid, Georgia labor officials said on their website. Federal agents could deduct it from a federal employee’s back pay or reimburse the department on the employee’s behalf.
In Tennessee, the Labor Department’s integrity unit would investigate and establish overpayment, Cannon said.
“The debt is due upon establishment,” Cannon said. “The claimant would have the right to appeal the overpayment determination. They can also set up a repayment plan to repay the overpayment.”
Each day the federal government remains closed costs U.S. taxpayers about $400 million just in salary for about 750,000 furloughed federal workers.
