The shutdown, nearing record-breaking length, could temporarily disrupt the job growth streak of 99 months, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Why it matters: President Trump frequently points to low unemployment as a marker for success of his administration. Around 380,000 federal workers could be removed from the federal payroll as they're placed on unpaid leave, the Journal reports, which could "cause overall employment to fall." To avoid the change being reflected in the January jobs report, back pay would need to be ensured to workers by January 29.