A Houston man says he continues to show up for work every day — even though he hasn’t received a paycheck in nearly a month.
He has chosen to hide his identity to avoid potential further loss.
“Jo,” a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee and member of the U.S. Army, hasn’t been paid from either job since Oct. 1. The ongoing federal government shutdown has left him, and many other government workers, struggling to make ends meet.
Without income, Jo missed his October rent payment. He sent a letter to his apartment complex explaining the situation, but soon after, he received both a demand notice and an eviction order.
“I feel rushed. I feel stressed. I felt sad,” Jo said. “I’ve just tried to push all that aside to get the task done one step at a time.”
Advocates say his situation is far from unique. Lone Star Legal Aid reports that more federal employees are reaching out for help as they fall behind on bills and face eviction notices.
“When an individual has to choose between paying rent or buying food, that’s a traumatic choice,” said Jon-Ross Trevino with Lone Star Legal Aid. “We’re seeing an influx of people in that exact position.”
Trevino encourages that workers to apply for unemployment and SNAP benefits as soon as possible, but warns this may not be a viable solution because SNAP will may soon be unavailable as well.
He says there are not exceptions to evictions, and landlords can file at any time after missing a rental payment. He hopes that judges will have sympathy towards people facing the circumstance. But, he says the apartment complex makes the ultimate decision on if they will work with federal workers during this time, or impose their everyday rules.
Jo’s eviction trial is scheduled for Nov. 4.
In the meantime, he’s seeking support through a Texas National Guard Family Support Foundation while waiting for his next paycheck.
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