As the Oct. 1 federal shutdown drags on, essential staff across agencies say they fear taking leave. A Social Security manager postponed surgery after learning missed days would be logged as furloughs and filed under “disciplinary and adverse actions,” a step union officials and experts call unprecedented; the agency says it’s standard practice. IRS and VA workers report conflicting directives, from AWOL threats to limited approval for preapproved time off. Meanwhile, Trump has threatened jobs and questioned guaranteed back pay as 4,100 RIF notices were paused by a judge, deepening anxiety.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.