SC Alaska News

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers have called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to follow existing law and ensure back pay for federal employees furloughed during government shutdowns. The group, which includes Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), and Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA-08) and Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05), sent a letter to OMB Director Russell Vought expressing concern over recent changes in agency guidance.

The lawmakers stated that the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, signed by President Donald Trump, clearly requires all federal workers—whether excepted or furloughed—to receive back pay after a shutdown ends. They noted, “The law is clear: all impacted government employees, regardless of excepted or furloughed status, are entitled to back pay after a government shutdown ends, which is consistent with the guidance currently provided by federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM’s shutdown guidance from September 2025 still states that furloughed federal workers will be provided back pay once the government reopens.”

They also criticized OMB for removing guidance about back pay from its public materials. “The decision by OMB to remove critical guidance on federal employee back pay is causing unnecessary stress for the federal workforce comprised of nearly 2.2 million employees,” the members wrote.

The letter further requested that OMB immediately update its materials to confirm that back pay for furloughed employees will be provided as required by law. “We request you immediately clarify and update the Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations Document and other relevant materials to affirm that furloughed employees will receive back pay, as is required by law,” the lawmakers concluded.

During the 2018-2019 government shutdown—the longest in U.S. history—Congress passed and President Trump signed legislation ensuring retroactive pay for affected federal workers. Before this law was enacted, Congress had to pass separate legislation after each shutdown to provide back pay.

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act now guarantees retroactive payment for all federal employees impacted by any shutdown occurring after December 22, 2018. The law specifies that both furloughed and excepted employees must be paid at their standard rate for work missed or performed during a lapse in appropriations, once funding resumes.