As we end week two of the government shutdown, questions are swirling about which federal workers will miss a paycheck in the coming weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While this might appear to be a simple question, the answer is more complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During a government shutdown, agencies must identify staff<\/a> who are exempt\u2014not affected by a lapse in appropriations\u2014or funded by annual appropriations and subject to furlough\u2014sent home without pay\u2014or \u201cexcepted\u201d\u2014told to work without pay. During a shutdown, agencies will continue to assess workforce needs and may change who is furloughed or excepted. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n While pay dates can vary across the federal government, government employees who were affected by the shutdown received a partial paycheck on Oct. 10. If the shutdown continues, they will not receive their next paycheck, scheduled for issuance on Oct. 24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Senate-confirmed appointees and some non-Senate confirmed appointees get paid during a shutdown<\/a>. Schedule C appointees are subject to furlough and do not get paid during a shutdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Servicemember pay generally depends on the annual appropriations process. Without annual appropriations, servicemembers will go without pay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, during the 2013 shutdown, Congress passed legislation to ensure the military was paid. Congress has yet to pass legislation to that effect during this shutdown, but President Donald Trump unilaterally directed<\/a> Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to repurpose about $8 billion in funds to pay the military on its regular pay date of Oct. 15. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shifting these funds\u2014which Congress already approved for other purposes\u2014may be an example of illegal executive overreach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While military pay is generally a focal issue during any shutdown, it\u2019s important to recognize the gravity of the larger issue at hand. The Constitution grants Congress the exclusive power to authorize government funding, and the legislative branch must focus on passing appropriations on time, every year. When Congress falls short, it is not doing its job, and the entire country suffers as a result. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Members of Congress and federal judges continue to receive pay during a government shutdown, but their staff are subject to furlough or \u201cexcepted\u201d status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The impact of a government shutdown on federal contractors varies. Many contractors implement furloughs for their own employes, while contracts at times stall because federal workers are furloughed or the work of the contract does not fall under an \u201cexcepted\u201d category.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSome additional complexities to consider:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Employees outside the full-time civilian workforce may also be affected<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Political appointees\u00a0<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Active-duty military\u00a0<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Legislative branch employees and judges\u00a0<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Federal contractors\u00a0<\/h5>\n\n\n\n