Seantè Hatcher shares five practical tips to help workers manage financial stress during potential layoffs and shutdowns, emphasizing mutual aid, mindset shifts, and seeking community support.
Job markets are showing signs of stress both nationwide and here in Maryland, creating conditions that make financial worry feel personal and immediate, especially for federal workers facing another possible government shutdown.
Most layoffs and work stoppages can catch employees by surprise, and to better prepare folks who might find themselves without a job, University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) Assistant Dean of Continuing Education Seantè Hatcher, MSW, LCSW-C, prepared five tips to help stabilize their lives and offer encouragement.
“As we prepare for this impending federal shutdown and possible layoffs, anxiety is high,” Hatcher said. “But remember: you’ve done hard things before, and you are more than capable of getting through this.”
Hatcher chairs UMSSW’s Financial Social Work Initiative (FSWI) where graduate social work students are trained on how to help clients navigate financial challenges. The FSWI serves as a national model for integrating financial capability into social work education and practice.