Are Federal Employees Entitled to Back Pay After a Government Shutdown?
- Author: Miguel Waters
- Posted: 2025-10-29
As the federal government shutdown continues past its 27th day, more than a million government workers are waiting for another paycheck they won’t receive, wondering if they’ll get their money once the shutdown ends.
About 1.4 million federal employees have already missed out on their full paychecks. Because of this, many families have had to spend less and prepare for what could be a longer wait.
Many workers are asking: Will they get their missed pay after the shutdown is over? According to legal experts, the answer is yes. The law says federal workers should get retroactive pay once government funding is restored.
This is thanks to the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, which was created after a long government shutdown in 2018-2019.
The law makes it clear that everyone who was either furloughed (not working) or was required to work during the shutdown will be paid for every missed day at their regular pay rate.
However, there has been some confusion. A recent draft memo from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) suggested that workers sent home during the shutdown might not get back pay, which goes against what the law says.
For example, when asked on October 7 if furloughed employees would receive their pay later, President Donald Trump answered, “I would say it depends on who we’re talking about.” This added to the uncertainty for workers already struggling to pay their bills.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) previously reassured workers that both furloughed and those still working would get their back pay as soon as possible after the shutdown ends, regardless of when their payday usually falls.
But a more recent update removed that clear promise, instead stating that only those required to work will be paid for things like overtime or holiday work once the government is funded again.
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