State Provisions Protects Federal Workers During Government Shutdowns
BOSTON — The Fiscal Year 2025 closeout supplemental budget includes a provision that protects federal workers in Massachusetts from evictions and foreclosures during a government shutdown.
This provision protects federal employees for at least 30 days after the end of a shutdown, unless the governor chooses to extend the pause to 75 days after the end of the shutdown. Gov. Maura Healey used this executive authority last fall to extend support for federal workers during the shutdown.
This provision, advocated for by state Sen. Lydia Edwards, was signed Nov. 25, 2025, and continues to apply to any future government shutdowns.
"Nobody who shows up to work every day to serve the people of Massachusetts should face the threat of losing their home because the federal government isn’t doing their job," said Healey. "This provision allows us to protect Massachusetts’ federal employees and provides them with relief during a federal shutdown. Thank you to Senator Edwards for her leadership advocating for this important bill."
This provision creates a temporary pause on nonpayment evictions and residential foreclosures, and requires lenders to grant temporary mortgage forbearance, for Massachusetts workers involuntarily furloughed or forced to work without pay due to the federal shutdown. At least 25,000 federal employees were furloughed or forced to work without pay last fall.
During the federal shutdown this fall, Healey called on the Trump administration to commit to back paying TSA agents and air traffic controllers, and demanded the administration release funds for programs like heating assistance and SNAP. When the Trump Administration laid off thousands of federal workers last year, Healey launched a new website that provided employment and job training resources for federal workers.
