What You Can And Cannot Do During A Government Shutdown

The Federal government shutdown is all over the news. Hopefully, it is not affecting you or your family. 

Are you familiar with what you can and cannot do during this time? Here's a list of a few things that the government shutdown has affected. 

If you know of something else, add it to our list.

The bad news first: 

Things You Cannot Do During the Government Shutdown:

Get a paycheck if you are a non-essential, furloughed government employee

Apply for new Medicare or Social Security benefits

Visit any Federally-run building, museum, national park, civil war battlefield, zoo, monument, etc.

Check the National Weather Service website for the weather in your area

Get a new small business loan

Check the legal work status of an employee

Have a Permanent Labor Certification Processed

Continue to be audited by the IRS

During a shutdown, you can:

Call 911 for help

Get US mail delivered and picked up

Receive your Social Security, disability, veterans, SNAP, and/or WIC benefits

Get a parking ticket

Be protected by the U.S. military and law enforcement agencies

Be paid and receive benefits if you're in the U.S. military

Receive healthcare benefits if you're a furloughed federal worker

Visit a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital

Get an unemployment check

Pay taxes

Go to the DMV (watch out for long lines)

Get weather warnings and watches, but not updates

Visit non-government-run museums and pay the price

Go to state and county parks

Attend school

Things that are still working, but you might want to avoid due to long lines and limited staffing

Renew or get a new passport

Travel at all by air, bus or train

Apply for a new patent

Some of the information in this article provided by NBCWashington