Show unpaid workers the respect they deserve
Speaking of the unpaid workers, the government must stop humiliating them by suggesting ridiculous ways for them to pay their bills.
I wrote about federal employees being advised to ask their landlords if they can perform maintenance duties instead of paying rent. The Coast Guard topped that by advising workers to hold garage sales, baby-sit, walk dogs or become mystery shoppers.
Those suggestions were included on a five-page “Managing Your Finances During a Furlough” online tip sheet published by the Coast Guard Support Program, which provides money management, legal advice, career counseling and other services to active duty members, some reservists, civilian employees and their families.
After The Washington Post exposed the nonsense, the document was removed from the website Jan 10.
The tip sheet stressed the importance of communicating with creditors and offered advice on dealing with debt collectors. It told employees to avoid living off their credit cards.
“Don’t use credit to supplement your income,” the sheet said. “What seems like a safety net can become a tangled web. It is tempting to rely on credit cards during a time of income fluctuation, but adding to your overall debt load can spell trouble if it takes a while to get back on track.”
This isn’t a time of “income fluctuation” for many federal employees. It’s a time of no income.
The shutdown has put offices such as Coast Guard Support in a tough position. They want to look out for their employees, and their advice is well-intended. It also can be insulting and demeaning.
At least those agencies are trying to do something to help.
Trump, Pelosi, McConnell and the rest of those in power aren’t doing anything. If they aren’t going to end the shutdown, maybe they could donate their paychecks to federal workers who aren’t getting one.
Or better yet, they can hold garage sales, walk dogs (making sure to pick up the dog poop along the way, of course), and baby-sit to raise even more money for employees who are getting shafted because stubborn politicians won’t do their jobs and compromise on budgets to keep the government open. paul.muschick@mcall.com 610-820-6582 Paul Muschick’s columns are published Monday through Friday at themorningcall.com and Sunday, Wednesday and Friday in The Morning Call. Follow me on Facebook at PaulMuschickColumns, Twitter @mcwatchdog and themorningcall.com/muschick.