California’s new Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, on Thursday promised the state’s federal workers that they will be eligible for unemployment insurance during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
“We’ll get you covered,” Newsom, who was sworn in Monday, said as he announced his $209 billion state-budget proposal.
The shutdown, which began just before Christmas, reached its 20th day on Thursday without an end in sight. Neither Democrats nor Republicans have thus far budged from their respective negotiating positions, with the latter sticking to President Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion in border-wall funding while the former refuse to offer more than $1.6 billion for non-wall border security. About 380,000 federal workers have been furloughed and another 420,000 forced to work without pay because of the lack of funding for their departments.
Newsom on Thursday promised to make California’s more than 250,oo0 federal workers “quickly eligible” for state unemployment insurance.
“I’m very worried about it,” the new governor said. “I have my staff tasked with what other appropriations can we make. Can we make loans to TSA . . . to subsidize their salaries? I’m exploring every option.”