As a federal contractor, Bend-based n-Link Corp. and its employees are feeling the effects of the federal government shutdown.

Sandra Green, CEO of the information technology and engineering company, said 49 employees are on leave without pay or using their vacation time in Washington, D.C. And the 20 employees at the Bend office, located in the Franklin Crossing building, are being asked to work only as needed.

The employee-owned company, which has obtained and fulfilled more than 170 federal government contracts and is a $20 million firm, employs about 150 people all over the world.

Of those, Green said, 55 work on a U.S. Commerce Department contract in Washington, D.C. It’s the only n-Link government contract affected by the shutdown. Forty-nine of the 55 have to either take personal time off or take leave without pay, making them eligible to receive unemployment.

Other government contracts involving the military and the Department of Health and Human Services have not been affected, she said.

Green said she’s expecting the shutdown to last through October. For the month, she said, the company expects to see a $500,000 reduction in revenue, which will require the Bend office to cut $60,000 in overhead costs.

Instead of laying off six people in Bend, she said, n-Link sent out a memo Friday asking employees to only come in to perform essential duties on a voluntary basis for the month of October to reduce expenses.

“As employee owners, we all hold one another accountable to be part of the solution of reducing costs,” she said.

“Yes, it’s an impact to us, but I’m in favor of getting our government to downsize. I think the government is spending way too much money. As contractors, we pride ourselves on saving the taxpayers dollars by performing the services needed much more efficiently.”