The recent government shutdown hit federal workers the hardest, with some 800,000 furloughed or forced to work without pay. But small businesses across the United States had to deal with unexpected trickle-down effects that caused disruption and uncertainty.
As one small-business owner in Maryland noted, “I live in a community with several government agencies. When my community is affected, I am affected.”
The clearest problem for small businesses was the dropoff in customers, as many federal workers or contractors — or those with federal workers in their family — were suddenly less willing or less able to spend money.
