For the fourth time under Trump, federal funding has lapsed—upending lives far from the negotiating table. This isn’t on workers. It’s a consequence of elections and the choices made after them.

Four shutdowns in less than a decade. That’s the reality we’re living with, and if you’re a federal civilian worker, the message is painfully familiar: stop, wait, survive. This isn’t because of your performance, your value, or your effort—it’s because of elections and the political gridlock that follows them. Paychecks have become bargaining chips, and lives are disrupted while lawmakers posture. The truth is simple and hard: it is not your fault.

If you’re a civilian worker, you’re likely back in the same unfair script—sorting “excepted” from “non-excepted,” calculating rent against savings, trying to explain to kids why everything feels paused when life keeps moving. I’ve been here, too. During the 2018 shutdown, I picked up outside work and wrote for Essence magazine—reporting and reflecting as a NASA employee and a parent navigating the longest closure on record. It wasn’t glamorous; it was survival, and it gave me language for the quiet harms shutdowns inflict on families and communities.

This time, though, there’s a sharper edge: forced resignations and retirements. Workers who gave decades of service are being cornered into leaving not because they want to, but because uncertainty erodes savings, credit, and health. Some are filing retirement paperwork years ahead of schedule just to protect their stability. Others are walking away under the weight of exhaustion and betrayal. This isn’t attrition; it’s displacement dressed in bureaucracy. The government is losing talent not through natural transitions, but through political negligence.

So let’s name this clearly. The uncertainty you’re carrying is not a reflection of your value or performance. It flows from elections and the governing choices that follow them—what gets funded, who is protected, and whether workers become leverage. That’s why this moment demands both care for each other and civic follow-through: track what’s on your local November ballot and vote like stability is a public good, because it is.

What’s on the Ballot in November 2025

This November 4, two states are holding statewide elections:

But the date matters far beyond those two. Every state in the country will have elections that day—from city councils and school boards to mayoral races and ballot measures. For example:

• New York City voters will choose their next Mayor.

• Seattle and Boston will also hold mayoral contests.

• Atlanta voters are set to decide on the next mayor in a pivotal local race.

• Ohio has a statewide General Election for local offices and ballot measures.

• Texas voters will weigh in on constitutional amendments alongside local races.

• Pennsylvania calls it a Municipal Election, with local leadership and ballot measures on the line.

Whether it’s a governor’s office in Virginia or a school board seat in Phoenix, these elections decide what kind of safety net exists the next time federal workers are pushed into uncertainty—or whether workers will continue to be treated as expendable.

Holding On, Holding Each Other

Shutdowns strip the language down to numbers: days without pay, percentages of the workforce furloughed. But the reality is lived in human terms—missed mortgage payments, paused medical appointments, parents whispering reassurances they don’t believe. And now, with resignations and retirements accelerating, it’s lived in empty desks and lost expertise, too.

Here’s what we can do while waiting for Washington to find its balance:

Name the harm. Say out loud what’s happening: lives disrupted and careers cut short by political choices.

• Ask for help without apology. Mutual aid, union resources, and community funds exist for this exact moment.

• Stay connected. Isolation makes anxiety louder. Lean on your coworkers and communities.

• Vote like your livelihood depends on it. Because too often, it does.

Four shutdowns later, one truth remains: workers deserve better. Until then, remember—you are not to blame. You are essential, whether the paycheck clears this week or not, whether your career continues in service or is forced to pivot.