Kayla Epstein

Working second jobs to stay afloat is commonplace among junior-level staffers on Capitol Hill, multiple employees told Insider, on top of the grueling hours and 24/7 availability that lawmakers expect of them.

"This had made me consider leaving a lot more seriously than before," one legislative aide told Insider.

"You see every type of bad behavior — humans behaving badly toward humans," said an attorney in DC who takes cases from congressional staffers.

Ex-staffers say Basecamp Strategy CEO Mike Reid created a "traumatizing" work environment, and they questioned where PAC donations were actually going.

Just $165,000 of the roughly $1,335,000 that When Democrats Turn Out PAC spent went directly to candidates in the 2019-2020 campaign cycle.

From low pay to burnout and lack of sufficient channels to address workplace issues, Insider is covering Congress as a workplace.

Capitol Hill staffers — many surviving on low pay — have to get creative to make their salaries last them through the month. Here's how they do it.

"You have to raise the ceiling," one House communications aide told Insider. "But you also have to raise the floor."

Congress has to pass a resolution that would protect Capitol Hill staff who want to unionize. And then things get complicated.

"Next week we will take legislative action to afford congressional staff the freedom to form a union," said Democratic Rep. Andy Levin of Michigan.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave her support to House staffers forming unions in February. A resolution just passed to set the process in motion.

As Congress and the Justice Department investigate the January 6 pro-Trump attack, survivors are still struggling to move on.