COLORADO’S UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DIVISION READY TO ASSIST FEDERAL WORKERS IMPACTED BY GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Approximately 53,200 federal workers may be eligible for jobless benefits

(DENVER) – Today civilian federal workers in Colorado received word that they will be furloughed as a result of a shutdown of the federal government and many of them will likely be eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits while they are out of work. While there are 53,200 federal workers in Colorado, not all of them will be impacted by the potential federal shutdown.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has information posted on its website related to the furloughs, including what is required to file a claim. Furloughed federal workers should file their claims online at www.coloradoui.gov.

There is a mandatory one-week waiting period before a claim is activated and workers may not file their claim until their last day of work. Unlike most claimants, the federal workers are “job attached,” which means they will not be required to conduct a job search during their furlough.

Current claimants who are concerned about a federal shutdown affecting payment of their unemployment benefits need not worry; all unemployment benefits will continue to be paid regardless of the government shutdown.