Work for no pay: government shutdown forces Leelanau resident to tighten belt, hurts local economy
By Jacob Wheeler
Sun editor
The federal government shutdown, now nearly a month old, has furloughed approximately 800,000 workers nationwide. The work stoppage and pay freeze has sent many government employees to food pantries to cover their families’ basic needs. Others have had trouble paying their mortgages and monthly bills.
“Excepted employees” deemed necessary for national security have been forced to continue working without pay. They include military personnel and airline workers. One Leelanau County resident considered an “excepted employee” is an air traffic controller at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City. He spoke with the Glen Arbor Sun under the condition of anonymity, citing a government “gag order”.
“We are required to continue working without a paycheck until the ‘shutdown’ is over,” he said. “Leave is actually not allowed. You can be furloughed if you are incapacitated (sick) but that’s it. We have not been paid for all work performed December 23rd and after.” (The shutdown began at midnight on December 22.)
The Leelanau County resident has worked as an air traffic controller for nearly 30 years.
“We are living on savings, but if we miss our next pay, I will be trying to negotiate with my mortgage company to get some sort of delay (on paying their home loan).”
Still, the individual considers himself fortunate compared to colleagues in air traffic control who only have a year or two under their belts.
“Not much time to build up savings when you’re paying rent in our area with maybe a student loan and a wife and kids to support.”
He knows of one colleague—also considered an “excepted employee” and forced to work without pay—who spent his short-term savings to move to Leelanau County and “is more stressed about this situation than (me).”
The shutdown and pay freeze for federal workers has a negative trickle-down effect on local businesses. Read our story about how the shuttered Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has hurt the Shipwreck Cafe in Empire.
“It doesn’t just impact me but the community too,” said the air traffic controller. “We are tightening the belt and living lean, which means money we would be spending in the community like a dinner at VI Grill (in Suttons Bay) or Little Traverse Inn (M-22 between Glen Arbor and Leland) isn’t happening right now. So it ‘trickles down’, or isn’t in this case.”
The Leelanau resident estimates he’s missed out on about $1,000 in wages per week. He estimates he typically goes out about once a week (when he is getting paid) to venues such as Hop Lot, the popular Suttons Bay microbrewery. He is holding off on getting his hair cut at Jon’s Barber Shop until the paychecks resume.
“I’m betting just in the four weeks that this has been going on that’s about $500 that just me, one guy, isn’t spending in Leelanau.”
