Customers and Employees Still At Sacramento Offices Despite Government Shutdown

Though much of the federal government is shut down, there are furloughed employees who are working in Sacramento and customers who are trying to get things done. 

Some employees from the Bureaus of Indian Affairs, Land Management, and Reclamation were at work at the government complex on Cottage Way today.

Paul Bannister is with the Bureau of Land Management Fire and Aviation Program.  He says about a-third of the staff is at work as excepted or essential employees with more on standby.

"If there's a situation: we started getting large fires and we needed additional people," he says, "They're currently furloughed on call."

There were also people working at the Social Security Office on Arden Way. But for Jackeyshia Freshwater, there weren't enough to straighten out confusion over benefits she says are due her three-year old son.

"I'm goin on a runaround," she says.  "They put this on a hold.  They're saying something is dealing with the federal law.  And no one wants to give me answers on when he can you know get his funds released, and he needs them."

Social Security says it will still accept applications for benefits but will not be able to  provide new or replacement Social Security or Medicare cards.