Maryland Moves To Shield Workers As Federal Shutdown Begins
Maryland is taking steps to protect federal workers and critical programs as the federal government officially shut down early Wednesday, following Congress’ failure to reach a funding deal.
Gov. Wes Moore announced that state agencies have activated contingency plans to keep essential services running. He said he would address Marylanders again Wednesday evening to outline the full impact of the shutdown.
What a Shutdown Means
During a government shutdown, federal agencies suspend nonessential operations. Each agency determines which employees are essential, keeping active-duty military personnel, federal law enforcement, hospital staff, air traffic controllers, and TSA officers on the job.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated Tuesday that about 750,000 federal employees nationwide could face furloughs, though back pay will be issued once the shutdown ends. The White House Office of Management and Budget previously directed agencies to prepare potential layoff notices for employees in discretionary programs.
Maryland’s Federal Workforce at Risk
Maryland has one of the nation’s highest concentrations of federal workers, with more than 160,000 federal civilian jobs and another 225,000 jobs tied to federal contracts, according to the governor’s office.
In Howard County alone, home to roughly 20,000 federal employees, County Executive Calvin Ball announced additional resources to support workers bracing for missed paychecks.
State Response to Protect Families
Moore said Maryland will work to ensure that federal programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and Head Start remain funded and operational. He emphasized that the state is also prioritizing protections for veterans and coordinating with private companies to prevent evictions, foreclosures, and utility shutoffs for unpaid workers.
“The longer this unnecessary federal government shutdown goes on, the harder it is for us to keep services going,” Moore said.
The governor added that Maryland courts and utility providers have been reminded of their legal obligations to shield affected employees and that emergency assistance programs are being expanded to help those directly impacted.
