Employees working incurs other costs beyond the employees’ compensation, but, yes, assuming the back pay requirement is honored [0], that’s essentially what it is.
[0] The White House this week argued that the law that clearly and unambiguously requires this does not in fact do so, and OMB removed references to the law and its requirements from their shutdown guidance to agencies, so I would not count on the Administration honoring it, at least initially.
My furloughed gov't friends joke about it that way, but as pointed out by trenchpilgrim, they're not getting paid during this. Their paychecks this week will be for only 7 days of work, 30% short of a normal paycheck, and if the shutdown persists two more weeks, then they will not receive their next paycheck (they will eventually receive the pay, but late).
Yes, he's said that, then they backtracked, not sure where they stand now. The law is pretty clear though that back pay is owed to the furloughed workers.
Doesn't make any sense, seems like if a huge portion of the population colluded to not pay their taxes at once then the whole military overspend would collapse? Or do they already have a backup plan to hand out trump-crypto to military and ICE?
As with ALL things; true democracy is the actions of the people; if everyone treated tax laws like they do speed limits; well, we have countries where that’s so.
The problem is getting everyone to work in such a concerted manner.
My (admittedly naive) understanding is that when the U.S. government shuts down, ALL funding stops. If a department still has dollars in the the bank, they can operate until those dollars run out.
Complicating the matter further, employees may choose to work without pay, because backpay is legally required by law (certain individuals are trying to undo this, however, I lack the patience or desire to get into this on HN). That means that if employees have the means to hold out, they will ultimately be compensated.
Perhaps someone more informed can provide more detail.
> Complicating the matter further, employees may choose to work without pay
This is wrong. If they're furloughed, they aren't working. Yes, by law (passed in 2019) they will get back pay, but they do not have the option to work without pay. If they're not furloughed, they may not be getting paid but it's not by choice that they continue working, it's because they weren't furloughed.
Depends on what "work" is. In theory furloughed workers aren't working, and can't go in to their workplace, but many different sorts of people are government employees. Yes, an IRS worker isn't processing returns, but it's not like government scientists stop thinking about their research even if they aren't allowed in their labs.
This isn't correct. All nonessential work stops immediately regardless of funding and all essential work continues. Individual workers don't choose whether they work or not, their departments do. Historically, everyone gets their backpay when the shutdown ends, essential or not, based on their salary level.
The source of funding matters. There are parts of the Federal government that are not entirely funded by annual appropriations from Congress. Funding from permanent appropriations or fee collection has not stopped, and agencies are allowed to operate to the extent that those other, non-lapsed funding sources can support. For example, a National Park campground that can support a basic level of services with the fees it collects doesn't have to shut down.
And after the 2018-2019 shutdown, a law was passed guaranteeing backpay. But the WH has gone back and forth on whether that very plainly written law would apply to this lapse in appropriations even though the law very clearly does apply to it. I believe today they are back to paying furloughed employees.
With mandatory back pay, isn’t it just a vacation for the furloughed employees ?
Employees working incurs other costs beyond the employees’ compensation, but, yes, assuming the back pay requirement is honored [0], that’s essentially what it is.
[0] The White House this week argued that the law that clearly and unambiguously requires this does not in fact do so, and OMB removed references to the law and its requirements from their shutdown guidance to agencies, so I would not count on the Administration honoring it, at least initially.
My furloughed gov't friends joke about it that way, but as pointed out by trenchpilgrim, they're not getting paid during this. Their paychecks this week will be for only 7 days of work, 30% short of a normal paycheck, and if the shutdown persists two more weeks, then they will not receive their next paycheck (they will eventually receive the pay, but late).
Trump said some workers won't receive back pay and don't deserve to be taken care of
Yes, he's said that, then they backtracked, not sure where they stand now. The law is pretty clear though that back pay is owed to the furloughed workers.
EDIT:
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/10/tuesday-trump-admi...
That article covers the backtracking. Yesterday no back pay, today they tell the employees they will get back pay.
It is incredible how unhinged “businessman” can be
When I go on vacation, I still get paid that pay period, so I don't have to worry about paying the rent/mortgage and utilities in the meantime...
Doesn't make any sense, seems like if a huge portion of the population colluded to not pay their taxes at once then the whole military overspend would collapse? Or do they already have a backup plan to hand out trump-crypto to military and ICE?
As with ALL things; true democracy is the actions of the people; if everyone treated tax laws like they do speed limits; well, we have countries where that’s so.
The problem is getting everyone to work in such a concerted manner.
My (admittedly naive) understanding is that when the U.S. government shuts down, ALL funding stops. If a department still has dollars in the the bank, they can operate until those dollars run out.
Complicating the matter further, employees may choose to work without pay, because backpay is legally required by law (certain individuals are trying to undo this, however, I lack the patience or desire to get into this on HN). That means that if employees have the means to hold out, they will ultimately be compensated.
Perhaps someone more informed can provide more detail.
> Complicating the matter further, employees may choose to work without pay
This is wrong. If they're furloughed, they aren't working. Yes, by law (passed in 2019) they will get back pay, but they do not have the option to work without pay. If they're not furloughed, they may not be getting paid but it's not by choice that they continue working, it's because they weren't furloughed.
Depends on what "work" is. In theory furloughed workers aren't working, and can't go in to their workplace, but many different sorts of people are government employees. Yes, an IRS worker isn't processing returns, but it's not like government scientists stop thinking about their research even if they aren't allowed in their labs.
This isn't correct. All nonessential work stops immediately regardless of funding and all essential work continues. Individual workers don't choose whether they work or not, their departments do. Historically, everyone gets their backpay when the shutdown ends, essential or not, based on their salary level.
The source of funding matters. There are parts of the Federal government that are not entirely funded by annual appropriations from Congress. Funding from permanent appropriations or fee collection has not stopped, and agencies are allowed to operate to the extent that those other, non-lapsed funding sources can support. For example, a National Park campground that can support a basic level of services with the fees it collects doesn't have to shut down.
And after the 2018-2019 shutdown, a law was passed guaranteeing backpay. But the WH has gone back and forth on whether that very plainly written law would apply to this lapse in appropriations even though the law very clearly does apply to it. I believe today they are back to paying furloughed employees.