Guidance for Federal Employees Affected by Federal Shutdown

Updated March 2026 -

Federal employees affected by the shutdown may be eligible to apply for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to help offset lost wages during the shutdown period.

How to Apply

Impacted employees can file an unemployment claim through the State of Nevada’s unemployment portal at nui.nv.gov.

How to Repay Unemployment Benefits:

Federal employees who received UI benefits during the federal shutdown must repay those benefits once back pay is issued. Use the steps below to understand what you need to do. 

1. Why You Must Repay 

Federal law requires repayment when: 

• You received UI benefits 
• You later receive back pay for those same weeks 

NOTE: UI cannot be paid for a week you were ultimately paid wages for. 

2. Stop Filing Weekly Certifications 

Once the federal government reopens, claimants should stop filing weekly claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits starting with the week the shutdown ends. This is because:

• UI benefits cannot be paid for any week in which federal employees are considered fully employed, even if they haven’t received their back pay yet.
• The shutdown week ends on the date the government reopens, so any weeks after that are not eligible for UI.

3. Watch for a “Back Pay” Issue in Your NUI Portal 

DETR will add a Back Pay issue to your claim. This triggers a required Fact-Finding form. When the Fact-Finding form appears: 

• Log in to your portal 
• Complete the form by the due date 
• Provide accurate furlough and back-pay information 

4. You Will Get an Overpayment Notice 

After DETR reviews your Fact-Finding and confirms your back pay, you will receive an overpayment notice in your NUI Claimant Self-Service (CSS) portal. The notice will tell you: 

• The exact amount you owe 
• The weeks included in the overpayment 
• Why repayment is required 
• How to set up a payment plan 

5. How to Repay 

Option 1: ACH Payment Plan  

• Log in to the NUI portal 
• Select Set Up a Payment Plan 
• Schedule recurring ACH withdrawals from your bank account 

Option 2: One-Time ACH Payment 

• Log in to your portal 
• Select Make a Payment 
• Choose ACH 

Option 3: Check or Money Order 

Make payable to: Employment Security Division  Include your name and Claimant ID. 

Mail to:  Employment Security Division  Benefits Integrity / Collection Unit  P.O. Box 2288  Carson City, NV 89702-2288 

6. If You Do Not Repay 

The balance stays on your account until paid. If repayment is not made, DETR may recover the debt through: 

• State or federal tax refund offset 
• Deduction of future UI benefits 
• Other collection actions 

Setting up a payment plan prevents additional consequences. 

If Your Claim Shows $0 in Benefits: If your claim has not been funded, you may choose to withdraw it through your NUI portal; however, funded claims cannot be withdrawn. 

Additional Resources

• How to: Add a Payment for Method of Repayment 
• How to: Set Up & Manage Repayment Schedule 
• How to: Repay an Overpayment 
• Nevada Unemployment FAQs
• Department of Labor UCFE Fact Sheet