Trump signs bill ensuring federal employees get paid after government shutdown

This is sort of unfortunate ...


President Donald Trump has signed a new bill into law guaranteeing back pay for federal employees impacted by the partial government shutdown.

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act covers both furloughed and excepted employees. It ensures they’ll receive retroactive pay whenever this shutdown ends — and appears to guarantee back pay during future lapses in appropriations.

It clarifies that employees of the District of Columbia government, including those at District of Columbia Courts and D.C. Public Defender Service, are included.

In addition, the law clarifies that impacted employees receive retroactive pay “at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates.” It also reminds agencies that excepted employees be allowed to take previously-scheduled paid leave during the shutdown.

Both the House and Senate easily passed retroactive pay legislation late last week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had told Senate Democrats that Trump assured him he would eventually sign the bill.

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