UPDATE: Congress Passes Legislation That Guarantees Backpay to Federal Workers

On January 11, 2019, as the government shutdown entered its fourth week, Congress passed legislation guaranteeing that federal workers impacted by the shutdown would receive backpay once the government re-opens. The President has indicated he will sign the legislation, promising that general employees can expect to receive payment for the missed paychecks due to the shutdown. The legislation does not protect the thousands of government contract workers who have no guarantee of repayment for the weeks missed due to the shutdown. Nonetheless, although the end to the shutdown is uncertain, federal employees can take some solace and comfort in knowing that repayment will be made upon the government’s re-opening.