The main concern of many employees naturally involves their pay. A recent OMB memo virtually guarantees that those kept on the job will be paid for their working time, although that would not happen until funding is restored. For employees furloughed, there is no such assurance. In past shutdowns they have been paid as well, and a bipartisan bill already has been introduced in the House to pay them. That issue most likely would be addressed in whatever measure eventually passes to restore funding. The mechanics of exactly when employees would be paid for the shutdown time depends on the length of the closing and payroll cycles, also an uncertainty at present. Separately, a bill was quickly passed to assure that military personnel—whose next pay is due on the 15th—will continue to be paid on schedule, as well as DoD employees who are kept on the job. There remains a question regarding whether that bill further authorizes continued pay for furloughed DoD employees, as well; the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Howard McKeon, R-Calif., says the intent was that it would. The Pentagon has said it is still examining the issue. About half of DoD’s roughly 800,000 employees have been furloughed.
