Coast Guard families told they can have garage sales to cope with government shutdown

[littlemissmartypants]

Coast Guard families told they can have garage sales to cope with government shutdown
‘Bankruptcy is a last option,’ the service said in a tip sheet published on a website.
By Dan Lamothe

January 9, 2019 at 3:33 PM

Employees of the U.S. Coast Guard who are facing a long U.S. government shutdown just received a suggestion: To get by without pay, consider holding a garage sale, babysitting, dog-walking or serving as a “mystery shopper.”

The suggestions were part of a five-page tip sheet published by the Coast Guard Support Program, an employee-assistance arm of the service often known as CG SUPRT. It is designated to offer Coast Guard members help with mental-health issues or other concerns about their lives, including financial wellness.

“Bankruptcy is a last option,” the document said.

The Coast Guard receives funding from the Department of Homeland Security and is subjected to the shuttering of parts of the government along with DHS’s other agencies. That stands in contrast to other military services, which are part of the Defense Department and have funding.

The tip sheet, titled “Managing your finances during a furlough,” applies to the Coast Guard’s 8,500-person civilian workforce. About 6,400 of them are on indefinite furlough, while 2,100 are working without pay after being identified as essential workers, said Lt. Cmdr. Scott McBride, a service spokesman. They were last paid for the two-week period ended Dec. 22.

More at the link.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2019/01/09/coast-guard-families-told-they-can-have-garage-sales-cope-with-government-shutdown/

[htuttle]

1. These are often highly trained people

Rather than take a job better suited to a teenager, I suspect some of them will just get better paying jobs in the private sector.

[littlemissmartypants]

4. I don't know what they're going to do.

I'd really like to hear from some of them.

[catbyte]

2. Gee, why don't they sell their plasma, too?

Assholes. Our country is being held hostage by a 72-year-old toddler having a temper tantrum because nobody has ever really told him, "No" in his entire, pathetic life, aided and abetted by the weak, spineless, cowardly republican party.

I am beyond frustrated.

[littlemissmartypants]

3. Me too, catbyte!

Beyond, beyond. I just read in another thread that we're being held hostage by the mafia. Sure seems that way.

[erronis]

5. Last I looked at the CG recommendations it didn't suggest: Find a new job with a good employer

Trying to keep the current employees "on board" without promising them anything to cover for their losses.

Sounds like a lot of failing business models.

tRump? repuglicons?

[Doreen]

6. So what they are saying

is to sell all of your furniture and belongings so you can afford to move into the flea and cockroache infested apartment with three other families. Oh, wait, I meant under a bridge. Who is going to pay them money to walk dogs, clean house, or mow lawns? The people who are also not getting paid? Oh, yeah, then there are the ones who still have to work at least 8 hours a day with no pay and they are expected to trot on home and walk dogs, clean house, or do yard work other than their own?

On another subject this scares me because they are at some point going to say it needs to be a family effort and need to put little children to work also. You know, relaxing or getting rid of child labor laws?

[3catwoman3]

7. Garage sales - that is BEYOND insulting.

Never mind that that it likely wouldn't raise more than enough to cover one week's groceries at best. You have an item on your table priced for 10 cents, and someone wants to give you a nickel for it. So you sell all your stuff, and then what do you do for the next week's groceries?

[dlk]

8. This Show Exactly How Much Trump & Co. Value Their Service