Shutdown will not affect jobless benefits

A shutdown of the federal government will not interrupt the payment of unemployment benefits in Washington, Employment Security Commissioner Paul Trause said Friday.

He said the U.S. Department of Labor has assured Washington officials that transfers from a  state trust fund held by the the department will not be interrupted.

Most of the money for unemployment benefits comes from the federal government.

The Employment Security Department also said federal workers should apply for unemployment benefits if there is a shutdown, but they will not receive a check unless they out of work for more than one week.