Stacy Johnston / Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Federal workers urged to prepare for potential shutdown

Federal employees in New Mexico who are furloughed or laid off during a government shutdown may apply for Unemployment Insurance starting the first day, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) urges those employees to prepare by gathering necessary documents in advance. 

Individuals may apply for Unemployment Insurance benefits in two ways: online at www.jobs.state.nm.us, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or by phone by calling the UI Operations Center at 1-877-664-6984, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.   

NMDWS must verify wage information for all UI applicants with their most recent employers. However, if the federal government shuts down, federal employers may not be available to provide this information. Federal employees should gather the following information now to file an initial claim:  

Social Security Number (SSN)

Mailing address(es) and phone number(s) of employer(s) you worked for in last 18 months

The starting and ending dates of your last job (or jobs if more than one employer in last 18 months)

If you are a non-citizen, have your alien registration number and expiration date

If you worked during the week you are filing your claim, be sure you know the gross amount (total dollars and cents before any deductions) of your pay before filing

Pencil and paper to write down questions and instructions

Furloughed Federal Employees must provide their recent Standard Form (SF)-50, an SF-8 (if issued), their most recent federal W-2 form, and recent federal earning and leave statements (pay stub).

A Claimant’s Affidavit of Federal Civilian Service, Wages and Reason for Separation, ETA-935 form located on the NMDWS website at https://www.dws.state.nm.us/Federal-Government-Shutdown-Information.

UI Claims become effective the Sunday of the week an individual submits their initial claim. The first week of unemployment is not a payable week as it is a “waiting week” under the provision of the UI program.  

Additional information about the Unemployment Insurance program and employment services is available on our website at https://www.dws.state.nm.us. For the latest announcements and updates, follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/NMDWS), Instagram (Instagram.com/NMDWS), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NewMexicoDWS), and our official YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/NMDWS). 