Trump Administration May Deny Back Pay to Furloughed Federal Workers

The Trump administration may reinterpret a law passed during his first term, potentially denying back pay to hundreds of thousands of furloughed federal workers in the ongoing government shutdown. This change in stance was outlined in a memo from the Office of Management and Budget, which contradicts guidance from the Office of Personnel Management. The move has been met with strong opposition from Democrats, who argue it is an attempt by the Trump administration to circumvent the law. President Trump said that he would take care of his people, but also mentioned that some people do not deserve to be taken care of, leaving the fate of the back pay uncertain.

Key Takeaways:

The Trump administration may reinterpret the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, which guarantees back pay for furloughed federal workers, potentially denying hundreds of thousands of workers their pay.
The change in stance was outlined in a memo from the Office of Management and Budget, which contradicts guidance from the Office of Personnel Management.
Democrats have strongly opposed the move, arguing that it is an attempt by the Trump administration to circumvent the law and that federal workers are entitled to their back pay.
President Trump said that he would take care of his people, but also mentioned that some people do not deserve to be taken care of, leaving the fate of the back pay uncertain.
Senate Appropriations ranking member Patty Murray wrote on social media that "The law is as plain as can be—federal workers, including furloughed workers, are entitled to their backpay following a shutdown."
Speaker Mike Johnson said that he hadn't seen the memo and didn't take issue with its change of course, but expressed hope that furloughed federal workers would receive their back pay.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson's website states that "Under federal law, employees are entitled to back pay upon the government reopening."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called House Speaker Johnson a "massive roadblock to progress," and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that the law is clear and federal workers are entitled to their back pay.

Statistics:

The Congressional Budget Office projected 750,000 federal workers would be furloughed in the current shutdown.
The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 guaranteed back pay for both exempt and furloughed federal workers.
Trump signed the legislation into law himself on **March 21, 2019**, according to Congress.gov.

Sources:

Axios, "Trump memo threatens to deny back pay to hundreds of thousands of federal workers," published on October 7, 2025, via
Office of Personnel Management, "Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs," published on September 28, 2025, via
Congress.gov, "S. 24 — 116th Congress," published on March 21, 2019, via
States Newsroom, "About 750,000 federal workers will be furloughed during shutdown, nonpartisan CBO projects," published on September 30, 2025, via