Unpaid Coast Guard employees told to work as part-time "mystery shoppers"

"Become a mystery shopper. Retailers are desperate to check how their in-store customer service is and will employ you to shop and rate their service."

This is just one of many suggestions in a tip sheet distributed to the 8,500 Coast Guard civilian workers who are not getting paid thanks to Trump's little shutdown game.

Other part-time tips in the pamphlet:

Have a garage sale -- clean out your attic, basement and closets at the same time. Sell unwanted, larger ticket items through the newspaper or online. Offer to watch children, Walk pets or house-sit. Turn your hobby into income. Have untapped teaching skills and expertise? Tutor students, give music or sports lessons.

When the Washington Post asked the Coast Guard about the tip sheet, the Coast Guard removed it from its website.

From the Washington Post:

The situation shows the increasing strain that the service is under as the partial government shutdown continues. About 41,000 active-duty Coast Guardsmen are working without pay. Their next check is due Jan. 15.

Overall, about 420,000 government employees are working under the promise they will be paid retroactively, with nearly another 350,000 on furlough at home.

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