This podcast is supported in part by the New England Innovation Academy in Marlborough, Massachusetts,

where today's students become tomorrow's innovators by discovering their passions and purpose while preparing for what's next,

reimagining education with a future-focused curriculum, entrepreneurial mindset, and real-world application,

currently enrolling grade 6 through 12, day and boarding students.

Learn more at NEIacademy.org. Well, it is day 15 of the federal government shutdown, one of the

longest lapses in funding in U.S. history with no end in sight, and the effects for federal

workers are far-reaching. Hundreds of thousands have been furloughed, many others are working without a paycheck,

and some may be out of work permanently after the Trump administration announced plans for mass

layoffs, which have been blocked in courts for now.

NewsHour has spoken to dozens of federal employees in recent days.

Many won't risk speaking publicly. But others who are

protected by their positions with workers' unions are sharing their concerns and frustrations

about the shutdown and how long it's already lasted.

My name is Mike Galetteley. I live in Tewela, Utah, and I work for the United States Department of Agriculture as an IT

technician. My name is Yolanda Jacobs. I work with the CDC out of Atlanta. My name is Imelda

Avila Thomas. I do work for the Department of Labor, Wage and Auburn Division in San Antonio, Texas.

My name is Trika Henry. I work for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

And I live in Lenoxa, Kansas.

I was trying to think of all of these words to describe what the last few months have been.

And I just came to a four-letter word, hell.

We're ready to work and take on that backlog, take on all that extra work that we've been handed,

and then now we're put at a standstill.

...