US government shutdown explained: Which US services stop and which keep running

Shutdown forces massive federal layoffs

The shutdown, which started Wednesday morning, has forced agencies across the government to send huge numbers of employees on unpaid leave. Less critical agencies, such as the Education Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, have seen more than 80 percent of their employees put on furlough. While workers in departments labelled "essential" — such as police officers, air traffic controllers, and active-duty troops — are forced to continue labouring without compensation until the US Congress reauthorizes appropriations, the New York Times reported.

Though previous shutdowns have been short, lasting only a few days, this standoff is proving more contentious. President Trump boasted of employing the shutdown as a political tool, even suggesting he would risk federal workers' jobs if funding did not continue.

Agencies most affected

The Environmental Protection Agency furloughed nearly 89 percent of its 15,000 workers, with disaster-response and emergency cleanup units alone staying on the job. The Department of Education suspended new grants and investigations while leaving only 330 workers on the job. The Commerce Department, which handles census and economic statistics, has sent more than 34,000 workers home, putting many research and statistical reports on hold.

Even the US Defense Department's civilian workforce has been hit, with 334,000 furloughed and 224,000 kept on the job unpaid. New defence contracts are put on hold.

The Labor Department is suspending Bureau of Labor Statistics data releases, including jobs reports that are market-watchers' most closely followed. In the Interior Department, most of the national parks and wildlife refuges have shut down, and geological data collection is suspended.

Services still operating

All of the federal programs have not been brought to a halt. Social Security and Medicare payments continue to flow, though with reduced administrative services. The Department of Veterans Affairs has shielded nearly 90 percent of their workers, sparing veteran medical facilities and benefits largely intact. Border patrol, customs operations, and disaster relief under the Department of Homeland Security continue, though most employees are unpaid.

Air traffic controllers remain on the job, keeping the skies secure, but transportation authorities warn of stress if the shutdown persists. Similarly, the Food and Drug Administration is still conducting some import inspections, though new drug approvals have been delayed.

Political stakes and public impact

The standoff has immediate human consequences: furloughed employees' families go without pay, while "essential" personnel report to work without paycheques. The public outside Washington will lose the normal business of government, from delayed housing discrimination appeals to stalled small-business loan guarantees.

The longer the shutdown continues, the broader its effect is apt to be — not just on government workers but on students who need help to wait, companies that need federal aid, and communities relying on timely health and safety initiatives.

As White House and Congress talks have stalled, the future is not so bright. One thing that is sure, though, is that this shutdown is one of the most disruptive in history, straining to the limit the tolerance of the federal employees and public they serve.