Impact of the US Government Shutdown on Jobs, Travel, and National Parks

Tue Oct 14 2025 06:11:36 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The recent US federal government shutdown affects various sectors including air travel, federal employment, and access to national parks, leading to widespread disruptions.

The US federal government has initiated a shutdown due to a budgetary impasse, significantly impacting daily life. Around 800,000 federal workers will face unpaid leave, while the airline industry braces for delays and passport processing backlogs. National parks will close amidst concerns over vandalism, and essential services such as Medicare will operate with potential interruptions.

The US federal government has shut down after Republican and Democratic lawmakers failed to resolve a budget standoff. The impasse affects the funding of government operations through October and beyond and is poised to cause widespread disruption for Americans in areas ranging from air travel to zoo visits.

The political gridlock is also expected to put around 40% of the federal workforce – about 800,000 people – on unpaid leave. Here’s how the impact will be felt across the country.

Your next flight

A federal shutdown will hit flyers in a variety of ways, potentially leading to long security queues, and delays caused by unpaid air traffic controllers choosing to stay home rather than work for free. Air traffic control and Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) workers are considered 'essential', so they will continue to go to work in the event of a shutdown. But they will not be paid until the shutdown ends. During the last shutdown in 2018-2019, many of these workers frequently called in sick, contributing to airport delays.

Impact will also be felt by Americans planning to travel abroad, with US passport agencies warning that it could take longer than usual to process travel documents.

No work - or pay - for federal workers

Federal employees are expected to be hardest hit, as they will not receive any pay cheque while the shutdown continues. Some workers may choose to take second jobs, as they have during previous shutdowns. Employees that are not deemed to be essential will be forced to stay home, but historically, these workers are paid retrospectively.

Agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health are likely to furlough many workers, making ongoing research and experiments difficult.

Contractors will also miss out on work and typically do not receive backpay according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

National Parks with no staff

Federal lands, including National Parks and National Forests, will be closed to visitors during the shutdown unless they are fully staffed, leading to concerns about preserving these areas. In a previous shutdown, parks were left open with minimal supervision, resulting in vandalism and misuse.

A group of more than 40 former park superintendents has urged that national parks be fully closed during a federal shutdown, emphasizing the need for staff to preserve the integrity of these natural areas.

Visit to the zoo

Despite the shutdown, Washington DC’s Smithsonian museums will remain open temporarily due to prior funds. The animals at the National Zoo will continue to receive care, but popular live webcams will be disabled.

Health care for the elderly and poor

Programs like Medicare and Medicaid will continue, yet staffing shortages could lead to service interruptions. The National Flood Insurance Program is expected to be closed, delaying necessary mortgages.

If the shutdown continues, disaster relief funds may dwindle, and food assistance programs may also face funding issues, with programs like WIC anticipated to run out of funds quickly.

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