Federal jobs have long been a lifeline for the Black middle class, but as the government shutdown drags on, that lifeline may be unraveling. NBC News’ Zinhle Essamuah speaks with multiple former ...

Typically, the first Friday of the month is when the Labor Department releases its report on jobs and unemployment. But because of the government shutdown, that report is delayed.

"During the 2018-2019 shutdown, sickouts started to happen around the two-week mark, roughly when the first paycheck was missed," noted aviation experts. "In the current shutdown, this appears to be ...