President Trump signed Wednesday a new bill into law guaranteeing back pay for federal employees impacted by the partial government shutdown.
The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (S. 24) requires “the compensation of government employees for wages lost, work performed, or leave used during a lapse in appropriations that begins on or after December 22, 2018, and entitles excepted employees to use leave during a lapse in appropriations.”
For furloughed federal employees, Congress must pass legislation that specifically provides back pay for them. Last week, the Senate passed the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act.
The bill also clarifies that excepted employees who have scheduled previously approved leave occurring during an appropriations lapse may indeed take that leave without undue penalty. It also applies to employees of the District of Columbia (DC) Government, D.C. Courts, and D.C. Public Defenders Service, who are also affected by federal government shutdowns.