Thousands of furloughed federal workers are trying to navigate the unemployment system, in a sharp increase that is still a fraction of the 670,000 furloughed during the shutdown. About 26,000 federal workers filed initial claims from Sept. 28 through Oct. 18. The unemployment process presents those workers with some challenges. It generally takes two to three weeks to receive payments once approved in normal times. And now, the Labor Department has warned of delays. Recipients receive different amounts state by state. If they receive back pay as expected when the shutdown ends, they will need to repay the unemployment money.