At least 25,000 federal employees now consider themselves unemployed


Applications for unemployment benefits have jumped to their lowest level in nearly half a century, but only because those numbers don't include unpaid government workers.
More than 25,000 federal employees sought unemployment benefits in the week before Jan. 12, the Department of Labor reported Thursday. That's more than double the 10,500 who filed for unemployment the week earlier — and it could be far higher by now, Politico points out.
The data comes amid a historic lull in unemployment, The Associated Press notes. A seasonally adjusted 199,000 people applied for unemployment aid the week of Jan. 12, the lowest total since November 1969. That number signifies that the economy seems to be holding strong amid a historically long government shutdown. But, as AP notes, that 199,000 total doesn't include federal workers currently furloughed and going unpaid. And as for those 25,000 federal workers, well, that number is two weeks old and has likely ticked up since then, Politico says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
An estimated 800,000 workers have gone unpaid for five weeks under the shutdown, though employees have been promised back pay once it ends. In the meantime, workers have been told to sell their belongings and barter to buy food and pay rent and, when that doesn't work out, been forced to rely on food banks or homeless shelters.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
6 hotels offering fun and unexpected amenities
The Week Recommends Have a butler walk your dog and a guitar sent to your room. But not have your guitar walked.
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: April 10, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: April 10, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published