Help FEDS Act

Key Points

• This bill allows federal employees who are forced to work without pay during a government shutdown to collect unemployment benefits. Right now, these workers often cannot get this help because they are still working their normal hours even though their pay is paused.
• The plan covers shutdowns that might happen in 2026 and 2027. It is meant to help families pay for groceries and rent while the government is closed and they are waiting for their regular paychecks to return.
• After the government reopens and workers get their back pay, they must return the unemployment money to the state. If they do not pay it back, the state can take steps to recover the money just like any other overpayment.
• The federal government will cover the full cost of these benefits and the extra work for state agencies. This means states will not have to use their own tax money to support federal workers during a shutdown.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.