“A number of former Trump political appointees have still not received their lump-sum vacation payouts and required forms that are necessary to file for unemployment benefits as they face a tough job market in a Democratic Washington. While HR headaches are to be expected during a government transition, some former political appointees say they were not warned there would be significant delays. And the problems faced by the seven former appointees POLITICO interviewed appear more acute than during past recent transitions. It’s not clear, however, whether the delays are related to the rocky Trump-Biden transition or a slow federal government bureaucracy that is still working mostly from home” Politico reports.

“Political appointees who stay to the very end of an administration often face a gap between Jan. 20 and when they land their next job, given the time it takes to network, get job interviews and then get a formal offer. Trump appointees face the added problem of job hunting in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot, which made some companies reluctant to hire former Trump appointees, in part because of fear of a backlash. ‘I’m sitting here going, how do I pay my rent? How do I pay my cellphone bill?’ one former Commerce appointee said in an interview. Another former Trump Commerce official said: ‘I have enough money to make it a month, but when rent’s due next month, what happens then? Rent in D.C. isn’t cheap.’ Besides the vacation payouts, at least three former Commerce appointees haven’t gotten their separation packets that contain a document called the SF-50, which allows them to apply for unemployment benefits, according to another former Commerce appointee, who only just received his packet. A Commerce Department spokesperson said in a statement: ‘Commerce’s HR Department is available to past appointees and more than happy to help them finish any outstanding paperwork.'”