Furloughed Government Employees Ski Free
In response to the longest government shutdown in history, some ski resorts offers free lift tickets to furloughed government employees.
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Beginning Tuesday, January 22, all federal employees who are furloughed or working without pay are invited to ski at Mad River Glen for free any midweek day until the government reopens.
The Vermont resort was first inspired to act when a furloughed worker called the ski area asking about discounts for government employees. The employees of the skier-owned mountain came together and decided that it was time to pay it forward.
“This is a difficult situation for many families around the country and the last thing we want to do is make light of it in any way or have it viewed as some kind of publicity stunt,” a press release from MRG read. “This really is a very sad state of affairs and we want to show our support for these federal employees.” The people at Mad River Glen chose to show their support for federal employees by providing an opportunity to come together and enjoy skiing and riding without having to worry about buying a ticket.
Two other resorts are following suit, offering a similar deal to furloughed government workers. Sugarbush, Vt. is also providing free skiing and riding while the government remains shutdown and is extending the deal to a federal employee’s immediate family. “We wanted to offer those on furlough and their families an opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie of skiing and riding especially when conditions are so nice,” Sugarbush Resort President Win Smith said in a press statement.
Like MRG and Sugarbush, Snow King, Wyo., is offering free lift tickets (valid weekdays) to any furloughed employee until the federal government is back up and running.
In order to receive a lift ticket, federal furloughed employees will need to show a copy of their furlough notice letter and their federal ID. Federal employees working without pay should bring their federal ID and proof that they are not being paid. These deals at Mad River Glen, Sugarbush, and Snow King will run as long as the federal shutdown continues.