Federal Government Shutdown Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
1. Can I file a new claim while the Federal government is shutdown?
While the federal government is shutdown due to a lapse in appropriations for federal government employees, District government will remain open. Federal government employees who are furloughed can file online at dcnetworks.org for unemployment compensation benefits or visit their nearest American Job Center.
2. Do I need to complete the work search requirements as a furloughed federal government employee?
Effective October 10, 2025, per the administrative policy issuance, the Department of Employment Services (DOES) has waived work search requirements for furloughed federal government employees. However, this does not apply to federal contractors, separated employees, or other claimants.
3. Should I continue to certify my weekly claims?
All claimants must continue to file weekly certifications, even if benefits have not yet been received. Claimants will be able to file weekly certification forms online at dcnetworks.org or by phone using the automated interactive voice response (IVR) system at (202) 724-7000.
* Note: Furloughed federal government employees will not be asked to complete the job search section of the certification.
4. If I complete my weekly certification on Sunday, when will I receive my payment?
Once completing the weekly certification, and if no issues arise, the claimant should receive payment within 72 hours.
5. How do I report a mistake or error?
Claimants can report mistakes or errors by calling (202) 724-7000 or visiting the nearest American Job Center. Mistakes may delay payment until the assigned claims examiner is able to address individual issues.
6. What is the one-week waiting period?
Under District law, there is a one-week waiting period before benefits are paid. The waiting period is the first week for which the claimant would otherwise be eligible. Generally, this is the first week of the claim. No payment is made for the waiting period, which starts on Sunday and ends the following Saturday.
7. As a furloughed federal government employee, does the one week waiting period apply to me?
The one-week waiting period applies to all claimants filing for unemployment compensation benefits in the District of Columbia.
8. How long does eligibility approval take?
Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit claims may be processed within 21 days. Receiving the required information outlined below may allow DOES to process claims more quickly, assuming all other eligibility requirements are met.
Processing UI claims depends on the following:
- Accuracy with filing in the correct jurisdiction where he/she physically worked or based on the appropriate duty station
- Timely receipt of accurate wage information from the employee’s Standard Form 50 (SF-50), Standard Form 8 (SF-8), Claimant Affidavit of Federal Civilian Services (ES 935), pay stubs, W-2s, or other wage documentation*
* Note: Claimants must submit a copy of the Claimant Affidavit of Federal Civilian Service (ES 935), SF-50 and SF-8 with the application, if available. The claimant should also provide wage documentation such as last two pay stubs and W-2s.
See Claimant’s Rights and Responsibilities Handbook [GR1] for more details and eligibility requirements.
9. How do I provide my Claimant Affidavit of Federal Civilian Service (ES 935), Standard Form-50, Standard Form-8, W-2 and last paystubs if I do not have them at the time that I submit my application?
Claimants can submit/upload the Claimant Affidavit of Federal Civilian Service (ES 935), SF-50, SF-8, W-2 and last two paystubs at any time by logging into the unemployment insurance portal at dcnetworks.org or by visiting the nearest American Job Center.
10. Why do I have to provide my Standard Form-50 and Standard Form-8?
The SF-50 and SF-8 are required to determine the employing federal agency, verify the claimant’s employment and wage information, as well as the duty station.
If the claimant does not have the SF-50 and SF-8, DOES can still process the claim if the Claimant Affidavit Civilian Service (ES 935), W-2 and two last pay stubs are received.
11. How do I determine my duty station?
When reviewing the SF-50, refer to line 39. If work was performed in the United States and line 39 does not state Washington, District of Columbia, a claim would need to be filed with the state referenced on line 39.
12. If I work internationally for the federal government, where should I file a claim for unemployment insurance benefits?
If work was performed internationally, an unemployment claim should be filed with the state of residency within the United States. Links to all State Workforce Agencies can be found using the following link: servicelocator.org/OWSLinks.asp.
13. If I worked for a federal agency, but I’m a “trust” employee, what kind of claim do I file?
Trust employees of a federal agency are not considered federal government employees for unemployment purposes. Therefore, a traditional unemployment claim must be filed.
14. How do I determine what employing agency to list on the initial claim application?
On the SF-50, refer to line 46, which will be the state employing department agency.
15. What if I don’t know my 3-digit agency code?
The 3-digit agency code can be found on the SF-8 form, marked “Code No.”
16. What number should I call for general questions?
Call the Customer Navigation Center at (202) 724-7000 (Monday – Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm) for general inquiries. Updates will also be posted at does.dc.gov, dcnetworks.org and fedsupport.dc.gov/.
17. Will furloughed employees who receive unemployment benefits be required to pay benefits back if they receive retroactive pay?
If workers receive retroactive pay from an employer, the worker will be required to repay unemployment benefits. This would occur when the retroactive pay is awarded. Please call (202) 698-5111 once retroactive payments have been received.
18. What options will be provided for repayment?
Once a notice of determination of overpayment has been sent and the overpaid amount is agreed upon, payments can be made in full or in interest-free monthly installments through a Restitution Agreement. Please call (202) 698-5111.
19. My monetary determination appears to be $0. What could be causing that?
Unemployment compensation for federal employees works differently than regular UI for private sector employees. Private employers report wages each quarter for all employees into state databases that are accessed when their laid off workers apply. For federal employees who are laid off, states must request data from the applicable federal agency. If the federal agency has not yet responded to report wages, the claimant’s determination may initially appear as $0 until wage information has been received.