Federal Workers to Receive Back Pay Following Government Shutdown
Thousands of federal employees furloughed or working without pay during the 43-day government shutdown will receive back pay within days. An estimated 730,000 workers who labored without compensation and 670,000 on furlough missed approximately $14.6 billion in collective wages. Federal law mandates that back pay be disbursed "at the earliest date possible," with some agencies processing payments as early as this weekend.
The reinstatement of paychecks will restore financial stability for many workers living paycheck-to-paycheck and inject liquidity into the broader economy. Despite earlier threats from the TRUMP administration to withhold back pay, the government reopening legislation guarantees full reimbursement—including for dismissed employees who must now be reinstated.
