October 17, 2013 / Modified oct 17, 2013 9:36 a.m.

Federal Shutdown Effects Will Linger in Arizona

DES workers being called back, but jobless stats will be delayed; Grand Canyon open, other parks reopening.

Some effects of the federal government shutdown in Arizona will linger, but others, including the reopened Grand Canyon, have occurred.

The Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics said it will not be able to meet its scheduled report to the public Thursday on the state's September unemployment rate because it has not gotten needed information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which has been closed.

Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed legislation Wednesday evening that will reopen those parts of the federal government shut down since Oct. 1. Furloughed federal workers are being recalled, and some operations will begin sooner than others.

The state Department of Economic Security reported it will recall furloughed workers to its disability benefits application office as soon as the federal shutdown ended.

DES sent 239 workers home on Oct. 7 after the federal government stopped paying the costs of processing Social Security disability determinations. Another seven state workers who audit those accounts also were furloughed.

DES spokeswoman Tasya Peterson said workers could be back on the job as early as Thursday.

Some low-income families that receive cash assistance saw delays in their payments because of the federal shutdown early this month. Gov. Jan Brewer then ordered DES to use other funds to make the payments.

The Grand Canyon was reopened last week under an agreement the struck with the federal government. The state agreed to pay the $93,000 daily costs of basic operations at the park, which brings more than $1.3 million a day in economic benefits to businesses in the state.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona