Government Shutdown Ends, Paychecks to Resume

Paychecks for federal employees are set to resume this Saturday as the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, lasting 43 days, comes to an end. This information comes from a memo reviewed by a news outlet recently.

The Trump administration has laid out a plan to provide back pay to the hundreds of thousands of workers impacted by the funding lapse. The aim is to start issuing payments this weekend, completing the initial round by November 19.

Specifically, around 12,400 employees from the General Services Administration and the Office of Personnel Management are expected to receive their back pay on Saturday, November 15. Others, including personnel from the Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, and more, will also see compensation, including overtime and hazard pay, on Sunday.

More than 150 workers from various departments, such as Education, State, and Transportation, are anticipated to receive their paychecks on Monday. These payments will cover missed wages from October 1 to November 1, with any remaining compensation to follow in later checks.

By November 19, agencies like Agriculture, Homeland Security, and Justice should have all back pay processed. The White House has urged agencies to act promptly and accurately in compensating employees.

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 mandates that back pay be provided quickly once funding is reinstated. President Trump signed a short-term bill on Wednesday night to reopen the government, which will fund operations until January 30.

Throughout the shutdown, Democrats voted multiple times against the proposed budget, seeking to extend Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire soon. The Republicans, however, plan to address the subsidies separately before the year’s end.