Trump Administration May Deny Back Pay to Furloughed Federal Workers

Strategic Insights -

The Trump administration has issued a memo potentially denying back pay to hundreds of thousands of furloughed federal workers, a drastic change in stance since the last government shutdown. This move has sparked concern among lawmakers and could significantly alter the stakes of the ongoing funding lapse, which began on October 1. President Donald Trump has indicated that he may not provide back pay to all federal workers, saying it depends on "who you're talking about." However, the law is clear, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has stated that employees who were furloughed due to the shutdown will receive retroactive pay for those periods.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Trump administration's memo, outlined in a previous article, suggests that back pay may not be guaranteed for furloughed federal workers, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of employees.
  • The OPM has stated that employees who were furloughed due to the shutdown will receive retroactive pay for those periods, contradicting the administration's new interpretation.
  • President Trump has indicated that he may not provide back pay to all federal workers, citing concerns about "who's who."
  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has expressed confidence that furloughed workers will receive their back pay once the shutdown ends.
  • House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has stated that the law is clear and all furloughed employees are entitled to pay back.
  • The American Federation of Government Employees has criticized the administration's new interpretation as an obvious misreading of the law.
  • Lawmakers have expressed concern about the administration's change in stance, with Senate Appropriations ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., calling it "another baseless attempt to try and scare & intimidate workers."
  • Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen has stated that the federal workers' back pay bill is "crystal clear" and does not need clarification.

Statistics:

  • 750,000 federal workers were projected to be furloughed in the current shutdown, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
  • The Senate has deadlocked five times on a stopgap government funding bill since mid-September.
  • The House passed a stopgap government funding bill in mid-September.
  • The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, signed by President Trump, guarantees back pay for both exempt and furloughed federal workers.

Sources:

  • (https://www.axios.com/2025/10/07/trump-memo-furloughed-federal-workers-backpay) - first reported by Axios
  • (https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/reference-materials/guidance-for-shutdown-furloughs-sep-28-2025/??) - guidance from the Office of Personnel Management
  • (https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/24) - Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019
  • (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/about-750000-federal-workers-will-be-furloughed-shutdown-nonpartisan-cbo-projects) - Congressional Budget Office projections
  • (https://www.statesnewsroom.org/) - States Newsroom report
  • (https://mikejohnson.house.gov/services/government-shutdown.htm) - official House website of Speaker Mike Johnson
  • (https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/government-shutdown-enters-day-six-talks-over-health-care-impasse) - Senate floor vote
  • Shauneen Miranda and Ariana Figueroa contributed to this report.