Federal Workers Face Uncertainty as Trump Administration Revises Back Pay Policy

Fri Oct 10 2025 09:09:08 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a startling turn of events, President Donald Trump's administration announces that there is no guarantee of back pay for federal workers amid the ongoing government shutdown, contradicting previous policies mandating pay during such closures.

The Trump administration is now stating that federal workers, approximately 750,000 of whom are currently furloughed, may not receive back pay during the government shutdown. This policy change has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who are asserting that it defies existing laws meant to provide pay to workers who are affected by shutdowns. The administration's reversal is seen as a tactic to pressure Congress into resuming negotiations over funding.

In a dramatic policy shift, the Trump administration has announced that federal employees currently furloughed due to the ongoing government shutdown may not receive guaranteed back pay, a significant change from previous practices that ensured repayment during such crises.

This memo, circulated by the White House, reverses the established understanding that federal workers would be compensated after a shutdown, a guarantee that was solidified following the longest government shutdown in U.S. history in 2019.

House Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted the urgency of the situation during a press conference, indicating that this development is meant to press Democrats to take necessary actions to reopen the government.

Critics, particularly Democratic senators such as Patty Murray, have condemned this move as a blatant disregard for legal obligations, stating that the fiscal wellbeing of federal workers should not be leveraged as a political bargaining chip. Murray emphasized that according to federal law, these workers are entitled to their back pay.

The memo from the Office of Management and Budget argues that while legislation exists stating that federal employees should be compensated post-shutdown, it is not self-executing, thus requiring new congressional action for any reimbursements to be processed. The memo claims that it is ultimately Congress's decision whether or not to pay federal workers.

As the standoff continues, both parties remain entrenched in their positions, with Republicans and Democrats clashing over funding priorities, particularly concerning healthcare subsidies that could affect millions.