Corrections officer says officers are unable to get approval for outside work amid shutdown

North Dakota corrections officer Tony Rowe on Friday said that his fellow officers are unable to get approval to get outside work amid the partial government shutdown because ethics office officials are not at work to approve the requests.  

“Right now, there’s kind of a jam up in the process because we’re not allowed to take outside employment without permission, and there’s nobody in the ethics office to approve those requests for outside employment,” Rowe, who works at Fort Totten Correctional Facility, told Hill.TV’s Buck Sexton and Jamal Simmons on “Rising.” 

The correctional facility is located in Spirit Lake tribal lands. 

{mosads}Corrections officers across the country, along with other federal workers, have not received pay amid the shutdown, forcing some officers to find other paid work. 

However, Rowe said he and his officers have been able to get financial assistance from unions, as well as the Spirit Lake Tribe in North Dakota. 

“Our union, the Federation of Indo-services Union, in conjunction with the American Federation of Teachers Union, has provided up to $1,500 dollar loans to our union members with zero percent interest, and payable after the shutdown,” he said. 

“Also, the Spirit Lake Tribe, for instance, here has offered food assistance to officers not meeting their familial needs,” he said. 

Rowe’s comments come as there appears to be no end in sight for the government shutdown, which is approaching its fifth week. 

President Trump and Democrats have been unable to reach a deal on border security, resulting in the impasse. 

— Julia Manchester