North Carolina experiencing unemployment claims 'spike' during federal government shutdown

Thursday, October 30, 2025
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The North Carolina Division of Employment Security says it's now processing about 20 claims a day during the federal shutdown. The amount is around what staff usually see in an entire month.

Some federal workers are resigning from their jobs during the extended shutdown, while others are left struggling.

Heather Hughes has worked for the Social Security Administration for 26 years. She is also the President of the SFGE Local 3509.

She is still reporting to her job and working without pay.

Hughes says everything is being budgeted down to the dollar.



"Obviously, money's tight," she said. "Our savings are dwindling. We're using credit cards to pay for monthly and weekly things."

Hughes tells me her mortgage company and car lender are working with her during the federal shutdown, but she and some of her colleagues have been looking into short-term loans to help with other bills.

"The first thing you'll see on the website is 'Due to overwhelming demands, it might be three or four days before you hear from anybody on your loan application.' So that tells you that lots of people are trying to get loans," explained Hughes.

The federal shutdown continues to impact travelers at airports. Air traffic controllers are also working without pay.

The FAA says there have been increased staffing shortages across the system.

ABC11 News with the regional union leader that covers RDU Airport.

NATCO Southern Regional Vice President Dan McCabe says operations have been running pretty smoothly at RDU, but that could change at any time.



"Every day that this stretches out, you're getting closer and closer to somebody's individual breaking point. What does that mean? Do they have to go find outside employment? Do they have to stop going to work for the FAA and take care of a child that they can no longer afford childcare for?" said McCabe. "It is just so unfortunate. They deserve so much more than what they're dealing with now."

The Division of Employment Security says more than 450 federal workers have already filed for financial help and others are reaching out on a hotline, which was set up in April.

"We've been getting about 200 hits a day on that. That spiked over 300% from this past Monday alone," said NC Division of Employment Security Assistant Secretary Antwon Keith. "I hope that it ends soon. It's just a really tragic time in our society, as far as this shutdown."



The State is reminding furloughed workers that if they do receive back pay, they are required by law to pay benefits back to the state.

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