Maryland sets up loan program for essential employees who work without pay when the federal government shuts down

With another government shutdown deadline less than a month away and no end in sight to the feuding over who House Republicans will elect speaker, Maryland officials are setting up a new lifeline for some federal employees who may soon be forced to work without pay. The program — pending approval at Wednesday’s state Board of Public Works meeting — would offer small, no-interest loans to civilian federal employees who work in Maryland but are not otherwise eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.