Federal workers take on odd jobs to make ends meet

(Mead Gruver | AP Photo) George Jankowski, a furloughed U.S. Department of Agriculture worker, helps a friend move out of an apartment in Cheyenne, Wyo., Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. Jankowski was paid $30 for his help. Many federal workers are doing odd jobs or driving for ride-hailing apps to help make ends meet during the partial federal government shutdown. Providence, R.I. • When her paychecks dried up because of the partial government shutdown, Cheryl Inzunza Blum sought out a side job that has become a popular option in the current economy: She rented out a room on Airbnb.

Other government workers are driving for Uber, relying on word-of-mouth and social networks to find handyman work and…