Their work is considered so essential that certain federal employees are required to stay on the job during the U.S. government shutdown, even though they’re not getting paid.

Oddly enough, if they were sent home without pay, they’d be able to apply for unemployment benefits through Washington state.

“For the folks who are going to work, and working without pay? They won’t be eligible for unemployment insurance because they’re working,” Donna Mack, the Rapid Response Manager for the state Employment Security Department (ESD), said.

Those include workers such as air traffic controllers, some federal law enforcement agents, disaster response workers, and more.

Both furloughed and essential workers will likely receive back pay once the government reopens, and then any jobless benefits rec

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