Hi everyone, my name is Elise Garvey and I am the former chair of the Government Evaluation TIG. This week is sponsored by the Government Evaluation TIG, and our first post comes at a difficult time for those working in or for government and government-funded programs. There are a few resources out there to try to help federal employees and contractors navigate the uncertainty of the shutdown. This article from GovLoop outlines a few we want to highlight here:
Resources:
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM): OPM has several resources for help finding the current status of the federal government (while the federal government is shut down, you will see the same notice: “Due to a lapse in appropriations…”), pay and leave furlough guidance, and a sample letter to creditors and landlords (link to the letter is about halfway down the page).
- This FAQ based on information from the Department of Justice and Office of Management and Budget has some helpful information about how agencies with contracts are expected to operate.
- OMB also has a website with links to contingency plans for specific government agencies that may include more information about guidance or support specific to an agency’s employees. The State Department’s and USAID’s guidance may have some relevant information for grantees.
There are some resources for contractors as well, but they mostly deal with being ready for a shutdown ahead of time, like this list from the Professional Services Council (although there are some tips for communication during a shutdown). Contractors also may be eligible for unemployment benefits. We encourage you to share any additional links or resources in the comments below.
This is a painful time for many, including many AEA members. Our thoughts are with all who are affected by the shutdown, especially people whose livelihoods and well-being are being stressed and will continue to be affected even after the government re-opens.
The American Evaluation Association is celebrating Gov’t Eval TIG Week with our colleagues in the Government Evaluation Topical Interest Group. The contributions all this week to aea365 come from our Gov’t Eval TIG members. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the aea365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an aea365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to aea365@eval.org. aea365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators.