WASHINGTON (CNNMoney) -- Some 4,000 furloughed aviation workers are the latest casualty of political infighting in Washington.
Families used to making $75,000 a year are filing for unemployment benefits and worrying how to make mortgage, car and student loan payments, furloughed workers say.
"It really is scary," said Michael MacDonald, a 54-year-old Federal Aviation Administration engineer who lives outside of Boston. "For one week, you think OK, we can handle one week. But now the reality is starting to set in --- this is going to take six weeks or more."
The FAA has been partially shut down for more than a week, with only air traffic controllers, mechanics and those integral to keeping planes flying safely on the job.
The plight of 4,000 FAA workers has been overshadowed by greater commotion over raising the debt limit and spending cuts. But lawmakers have also been at odds over approving a routine stop-gap funding measure for the agency.
With the House adjourned, the funding impasse will likely grind on for FAA employees who are feeling the pinch of a lack of paycheck, not to mention perks such as like 401(k) retirement benefit contributions.
Read more here: http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/02/news/economy/faa_shutdown_workers/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2