California to provide critical support for workers hurt by Trump’s failure, federal shutdown

Trump is failing our economy 

The fallout from President Trump’s failure touches nearly every sector of our economy — hurting businesses and workers.

While the federal government has postponed its monthly jobs report — increasing uncertainty for businesses and policymakers — the signs of Trump’s shutdown are starting to show through. Since the shutdown began, California has seen an uptick in requests for unemployment benefits from federal workers, with the number of requests increasing by hundreds in just the first few days of the shutdown.

This follows disappointing national job numbers released last month, which indicate a sharp decrease in hiring for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and fewer jobs created during the first year of the Trump administration compared to the same period in 2024.  

Trump is failing workers

Instead of helping the workforce, Trump is turning his back. This week, Trump threatened to illegally withhold backpay for hundreds of thousands of American federal workers, and is now announcing mass layoffs of thousands of federal workers. Unlike the federal government, California’s government continues to work for the people. Today, Governor Newsom is highlighting that federal workers in California who are laid off, have their hours reduced, or are out of work due to a federal government shutdown furlough or layoff may qualify for state unemployment benefits through California’s Employment Development Department. Benefits are available for workers who meet all eligibility requirements. EDD also stands ready to help federal workers file unemployment claims when they have been impacted by a Reduction-In-Force (RIF) and other no-fault separations.

Trump is failing our military 

As President Trump continues his nationwide crusade to deploy the National Guard against its own communities and those of varying states, one point is abundantly clear – they are working for free

While these soldiers have been taken away from their families, communities, and civilian professions because of the President’s federal shutdown, they won’t get paid. If they were on active state duty, for example, in California protecting our communities from wildfire threats, patrolling the border and stopping the illicit drug trade, or responding to disasters at the Governor’s direction, they would be getting paid by the state.