{"id":2504667,"date":"2025-10-30T07:49:01","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:49:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/furloughed-federal-workers-take-to-tiktok-to-make-ends-meet\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T07:51:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:51:13","slug":"furloughed-federal-workers-take-to-tiktok-to-make-ends-meet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/furloughed-federal-workers-take-to-tiktok-to-make-ends-meet\/","title":{"rendered":"Furloughed federal workers take to TikTok to make ends meet"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffurloughed-federal-workers-take-to-tiktok-to-make-ends-meet%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2504667&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses how furloughed federal workers affected by a lengthy government shutdown have turned to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-new-acting-attorney-general-jeff-rosen-recently-wrote-an-essay-on-foreign-influence-in-us-elections-this-tells-us-a-little-about-his-knowledge-of-whats-going-on-today\/\" title=\"The New Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen Recently Wrote an Essay on Foreign Influence in US Elections \u2013 This Tells Us A Little About His Knowledge of What\u2019s Going On To...\">social media platform<\/a> TikTok to pass the time, share their experiences, and make some income. With the shutdown leaving many unable to work or receive paychecks, workers like Bre Sheffield and Emma Sturgeon document their daily lives, the challenges they face, and their perspectives on the situation through viral and relatable videos. These TikTok activities provide emotional outlets, create community support, and sometimes bring small financial help through brand deals or viewer engagement.<\/p>\n<p>The use of social media by furloughed employees offers a more personal and grassroots view of the shutdown&#8217;s impact compared to mainstream media coverage. Content creators emphasize the importance of sharing real stories to raise public awareness and connect with others in similar circumstances.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, political negotiations remain stalled, with the House passing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-plan-as-government-shutdown-looms-ignore-the-house-and-follow-the-senate\/\" title=\"Biden&#039;s strategy amid imminent ...: Disregard House, align with ....\">short-term funding resolution<\/a> that the Senate has yet to approve, prolonging the shutdown. Lawmakers are considering longer-term funding measures as pressure mounts, but no resolution is in sight.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Furloughed federal workers take to TikTok to pass the time and make ends meet<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2385013\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/federal\/\">Federal<\/a> workers have found something to do with their time as the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/government-shutdown\/\">government shutdown<\/a> heads for record length &mdash; make <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tiktok\/\">TikToks<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>A monthlong shutdown has left many federal workers unable to work and without a paycheck for the time being. Many furloughed workers have, therefore, turned to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/social-media\/\">social media<\/a> platform to document their days and provide an outlet for these stressful times.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/3867632\/don-lemon-clip-farmers-podcast-transgender-chopped-insult-megyn-kelly-backfires\/\">Don Lemon&#8217;s &#8216;trans&#8217; insult to Megyn Kelly backfires<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/3866311\/joe-concha-suggests-hamas-voted-on-glamour-women-of-the-year\/\">Joe Concha suggests Hamas voted on Glamour&rsquo;s Women of the Year<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/3856880\/hulu-football-farce-chad-powers-tv-review\/\">Hulu&rsquo;s football farce: Review of &#8216;Chad Powers&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;I really just started posting about the shutdown to make light of a tough situation that I was in,&rdquo; Bre Sheffield, a federal healthcare worker, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;I wanted to show the reality of being an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >exempted furlough employee required<\/a> to continue working through the shutdown even without receiving a paycheck.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sheffield said <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/t\/ZTMXCYpB2\">her videos<\/a> became an &ldquo;outlet&rdquo; for her, hoping they make other people going through similar situations &ldquo;feel less alone.&rdquo; She has received a mix of good and bad messages, with some people even offering to buy her morning coffee.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@bresheffield\/video\/7563292058027445518\" data-video-id=\"7563292058027445518\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;\">\n<section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@bresheffield\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@bresheffield?refer=embed\">@bresheffield<\/a> CAN WE PASS A BUDGET ALREADY! <a title=\"furlough\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/furlough?refer=embed\">#furlough<\/a> <a title=\"governmentemployee\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/governmentemployee?refer=embed\">#governmentemployee<\/a> <a title=\"healthcareworker\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/healthcareworker?refer=embed\">#healthcareworker<\/a> <a title=\"xraytech\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/xraytech?refer=embed\">#xraytech<\/a> <a title=\"foryou\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/foryou?refer=embed\">#foryou<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"&#9836; original sound - prettynpinkedits\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7557566397263104798?refer=embed\">&#9836; original sound &ndash; prettynpinkedits<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Whether it be a &ldquo;day in the life&rdquo; video, addressing their personal connection and thoughts on the shutdown, coffee videos, or a call to action, workers across the country have turned to the increasingly popular app, with some achieving virality.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>One furloughed worker, Emma Sturgeon, began making videos 19 days into the shutdown and has already reached nearly 60,000 followers. She has received a handful of products and free services, such as facials, and has even been able to make up half of her rent through viewer &ldquo;likes, comments, and saves.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It is the 28th day of the government shutdown, rent is due in four days, and thanks to my new gig as an influencer, we are going to be OK, everyone,&rdquo; Sturgeon <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/t\/ZTMXhAjnp\">said in a video<\/a>. &ldquo;It is a miracle.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@emma_sturgeon\/video\/7566370243317075221\" data-video-id=\"7566370243317075221\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;\">\n<section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@emma_sturgeon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@emma_sturgeon?refer=embed\">@emma_sturgeon<\/a> Short one today you guys but I filmed, edited, and it was up by 4:30 pm so I&rsquo;m getting better!! Thanks for being here &#129392; @Bloom Nutrition @Emily English <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"&#9836; original sound - emma_sturgeon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7566370778434882322?refer=embed\">&#9836; original sound &ndash; emma_sturgeon<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Social media has allowed these workers, going without pay for the time being, to share their personal experiences and give the public a new perspective as Washington remains at a standstill with no solution in sight.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Your face to your name and a personal story I have to say is one of the most effective ways of breaking through and connecting the dots on an issue area for people, and the government shutdown is absolutely no exception,&rdquo; content creator and CEO of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.girlandthegov.com\/\">Girl and the Gov<\/a> Sammy Kanter told the <em>Washington Examiner.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Furloughed workers using their voices to share how personal this is and how it impacts not just them, but their communities is important for increasing awareness around what&rsquo;s been happening and what&rsquo;s to come,&rdquo; she continued.<\/p>\n<p>TikTok and social media in general have become major sources of income for many people around the world. While smaller creators use it for additional income, a handful of mega creators can make more than $50,000 per ad they post.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Along with supplemental income from social media, many creators are also sent packages from brands that send them products in hopes that the creator will promote the brand on their page. This allows for user-generated content, which is much cheaper than full advertising campaigns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While not many of these federal workers will be able to pay their bills through making TikTok videos, even receiving products or small brand deals can make a difference during a time when they are struggling to make ends meet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Anything is better than nothing,&rdquo; content creator and technical security manager Robert Perez told the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Perez, a former federal worker, has taken a creative stance to promote information on the shutdown on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/businessman-kevin-oleary-defends-free-speech-online\/\" title=\"Businessman Kevin O\u2019Leary defends free speech online\">multiple social media platforms<\/a>. From day one, he began running 1 mile for each day of the government shutdown. He now runs more than a marathon every day outside the hours of his typical nine-to-five.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s almost like I&rsquo;ve made politics relatable because I give analogies that are everyday things,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Perez said that videos like his and those of other furloughed workers allow for a &ldquo;different perspective&rdquo; than mainstream media, and that &ldquo;regular people get to make their voice heard.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I just feel like when things are uncertain, you can either spiral or create something positive, and for me, that became the silly little TikTok videos,&rdquo; Sheffield said.&nbsp;&ldquo;I just shared what felt real at that time, really just for people to see if things are out of your control, you can still control your response.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The shutdown has lasted nearly a month, and no negotiations have taken place. The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/house\/\">House<\/a>-passed continuing resolution to fund the government until Nov. 21 still sits in the upper chamber, where it has failed to meet the 60-vote threshold for the bill to hit the president&rsquo;s desk and reopen the government.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>When the CR passed the House, it left seven weeks for appropriators to find topline numbers to fund the government through the fiscal year. Now, 30 days into the shutdown, the CR would only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-clears-key-hurdles-on-stalled-spending-measure-with-flurry-of-amendments\/\" title=\"... ...s progress on stalled spending measure with flurry of amendments.\">extend current funding<\/a> for around three weeks if the upper chamber were to pass it. The House has remained out of session for the entire shutdown to pressure the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/senate\/\">Senate<\/a> to pass the short-term funding resolution.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3863622\/republican-women-lean-relationship-building-dysfunctional-dc\/\"><strong>REPUBLICAN WOMEN LEAN ON RELATIONSHIP BUILDING DURING A TIME OF DYSFUNCTION&nbsp;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Senate Minority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chuck-schumer\/\">Chuck Schumer<\/a> (D-NY) has continuously aimed to keep enough of his Democratic caucus in line to force Republicans to strike a deal that meets Democratic demands on healthcare. So far, only Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/angus-king\/\">Angus King<\/a> (I-ME) and two Democrats have backed the GOP plan.<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers have begun floating a long-term CR, which could extend Biden administration-era funding levels through the end of the fiscal year as the shutdown continues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Furloughed federal workers use TikTok to cope and earn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3691,"featured_media":2504669,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/bre-sheffield-tiktok-e1761771696423.png?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[48942,64332,6248],"class_list":["post-2504667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-federal-workers","tag-furlough","tag-tiktok"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/bre-sheffield-tiktok-e1761771696423.png?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2504667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3691"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2504667"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2504667\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2504671,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2504667\/revisions\/2504671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2504669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2504667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2504667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2504667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}