Resources for Furloughed Workers

United Way, one of the AFL-CIO’s national partners, supports 2-1-1, a free nationwide information and referral line that helps people including furloughed workers find local resources they may be eligible to obtain 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The 2-1-1 line can be accessed by phone or computer. A toll-free call to 2-1-1 connects you to a community resource specialist in your area who can put you in touch with local organizations that provide critical services, including:

Supplemental food and nutrition programs;
Shelter and housing options, and utilities assistance;
Employment and education opportunities;
Services for veterans; and
Health care and mental health services.

Call 2-1-1 and speak with a live, highly trained service professional in your area from any cell phone or landline. All calls are private and confidential, and assistance is available in multiple languages. Or visit 211.org/services/govshutdown to locate organizations in your community that provide support and assistance to working families in their time of need.

Responding to the financial strain on federal employees who have been furloughed or are working without pay, UJA-Federation of New York and the Hebrew Free Loan Society (HFLS) will fund interest-free “paycheck” loans that will replace missed paychecks for federal workers who reside in New York City, Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties and who earn $40,000 or less. UJA-Federation’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve a $5 million dollar loan for HFLS to run the program. To apply for a loan, borrowers should visit www.hfls.org/FederalEmployees to download loan application forms.

“Today, it’s clear that federal workers in our area are in financial distress because of the shutdown. We hope this loan program will alleviate some of the stress and worry for these individuals and their families,” said Eric S. Goldstein, CEO of UJA-Federation of New York.  

"Few families can afford to miss even one paycheck before they start to suffer financial challenges. We felt the community should respond, and interest-free loans are the perfect tool for making sure people have what they need to make ends meet," said Rabbi David Rosenn, Executive Director, Hebrew Free Loan Society.