LENDERS across the United States are bolstering assistance programs and evaluating how else to help their customers as the longest partial government shutdown in history threatens to extend through a second payday for furloughed federal workers.

Navy Federal Credit Union, a Vienna, Virginia-based lender with more 8.1 million members, is offering no-interest, no-fee loans up to US$6,000 for its 100,000 affected customers. So far, 16,000 customers have enrolled, and the lender extended advances to cover a second pay period.

About 800,000 federal employees aren’t receiving paychecks amid the shutdown that began Dec. 22. Workers have been promised back pay when the impasse ends. To tide them over, more than 100 banks have programs in place to help, according to the American Bankers Association.

Programs include fee waivers and low-cost loans. Some of the nation’s biggest banks, including Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co., are offering assistance on a case-by-case basis.

Wells Fargo spokeswoman Ann Wasik said the number of customers who have tapped the bank’s assistance program has been low, but increasing as the shutdown continues.

U.S. Bancorp, the country’s fifth-largest bank by deposits, is offering loans up to US$6,000 at 0.01 percent interest.

(SD-Agencies)