The bills keep coming even if the paychecks don’t for the almost 16,000 Georgians who are furloughed or working without pay during the government shutdown. Heading into week four, the shutdown is directly affecting about 22 percent of Georgia’s federal civilian workforce.
 
“We know it’s a stressful time for furloughed workers, with a lot of uncertainty about their next paycheck,” said Susan Dunseth, vice president of career services at Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA. “Our mission at Goodwill is to get people into jobs. That can mean getting them onto a career path, or in a situation like this, it can mean getting them into a job temporarily to fill the gaps. Our staffing division, Goodwill Staffing Services, can connect job seekers with any kind of position they’re looking for. And we don’t charge any of our job seekers for our placement services.”
 
With the start of the new year, many companies have new opportunities, initiatives and budgets. Dunseth encourages any employers in need of temporary employees to contact Goodwill about partnering to meet the needs of their business while assisting these furloughed employees in bridging the employment gap.
 
Examples of available positions Goodwill Staffing Services currently has range from manufacturing, retail and administrative to hospitality and allied health. Opportunities can include competitive pay rates, flexible scheduling, and part- to full-time opportunities. Having a resume on hand can expedite the process, but it’s not a requirement. More information can be found online at  www.GoodwillWorks.org/GoodwillStaffing.
 
“Goodwill Staffing Services is based in three of our Job Connections in Augusta, Lake Oconee and Macon,” explained Dunseth, who advises job seekers to call or visit their local office to investigate employment opportunities. “We are ready to help people, whether they’re seeking something permanent or something temporary while they’re waiting to be called back to their regular job. We have the resources to connect furloughed workers with jobs to help them stay afloat during the shutdown.”
 
Nationally, about 800,000 workers have been impacted by the shutdown, which became the longest in U.S. history when it hit 22 days on Saturday, surpassing the 21-day shutdown at the end of 1995 that carried into early 1996 during the Clinton administration.