White House Memo Questions Back Pay for Furloughed Government Workers

Draft Memo on Federal Worker Compensation

• 📄 A draft White House memo from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) suggests that the government may not be obligated to provide back pay to furloughed federal workers or those working without pay.
• ⚖️ The memo reportedly argues that a 2019 law, the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, is "sloppily written" and that Congress must explicitly fund back pay in a spending bill.

President Trump's Response

• 🗣️ President Trump initially stated that back pay for federal workers "depends on who we're talking about" when questioned about the memo.
• ✅ He later added that he would "follow the law" regarding federal worker compensation.

Congressional Reaction

• 🚫 Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have pushed back against the memo's suggestion, asserting that government workers will receive their back pay.
• ❓ Senate Majority Leader John Thun stated he was unaware of the legal statute the memo referenced and called the issue a "non-issue."
• 💬 Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated there would be "a lot of discussion" regarding back pay for the over 750,000 furloughed workers.

Ongoing Discussion

• 📌 The administration has stated that this is an ongoing discussion and no final determination has been made regarding back pay for federal employees.