The government shutdown in the U.S. has now entered its 10th day, with negotiations between Republicans and Democrats yet again falling short in reaching a budget agreement that would restore funding.
This shutdown, which took effect on October 1, has left numerous federal employees uncertain about their paychecks, particularly as the payday arrives on October 10.
There has been considerable confusion surrounding the causes of the shutdown, the agencies affected, and the broader implications for residents in South Jersey.
Further Reading: Election Day 2025 in NJ: Key dates, registration details, and mail-in ballot info
Start Date of the Government Shutdown
The government shutdown commenced on October 1.
Duration of the Government Shutdown
The shutdown is now on its 10th day as of October 10.
Impact on New Jersey
As per data from SmartAsset, approximately 14,854 federal workers are projected to be furloughed in New Jersey.
This number constitutes around 0.16% of the state’s population, according to SmartAsset.
Understanding Furloughs
The term furlough, as defined by The U.S. Office of Personnel Management, refers to “placing an employee in a temporary non-duty, non-pay status due to lack of work, funds, or other non-disciplinary reasons.”
Furloughs linked to shutdowns occur when funding is unavailable because of budgetary disputes.
Further Reading: Changes to SNAP benefits due to government shutdown: How might food stamps be affected?
Are Banks Operating During the Shutdown?
Yes, FDIC-insured banks are expected to remain open and function normally during the duration of a government shutdown, as stated by Citizen Bank’s government shutdown resource page.
Some examples of FDIC-insured banks include Bank of America, PNC, TD Bank, Citibank, Capital One, and others.
Availability of Food Stamps During the Shutdown
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s September 30 Lapse of Funding Plan, essential nutrition safety net programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), will continue in the event of a funding lapse.
These programs, which also cover Child Nutrition initiatives and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, should keep operating as long as funds are available, according to the plan.
Flight Delays Due to the Government Shutdown
While many federal agencies, like the TSA, aren’t monitoring their social media pages during the shutdown, they have provided updates concerning security screening times.
The TSA reported that about 2.98 million travelers were screened on October 9, with an average wait time of just 5 minutes in standard screening lanes.
Contributors include USA Today’s James Powel, Zac Anderson, Joey Garrison, Bart Jansen, Saman Shafiq, and Sarah D. Wire; as well as Reuters.
Kaitlyn McCormick covers trending topics and community news for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal, and Burlington County Times. Share your story ideas by emailing her at kmccormick@gannett.com. Subscribe for ongoing updates on essential news.
This article was originally published in the Cherry Hill Courier-Post: How long is the government shutdown? What’s closed during the shutdown?
