Federal workers await backpay after missing two paychecks during shutdown

As the 43-day shutdown ended November 13, 2025, over 1.4 million federal employees awaited backpay for nearly $14 billion in withheld wages. Workers expected first partial payments November 16–19 covering only base pay through November 1. Contract workers — not covered by the 2019 Government Employee Fair Treatment Act — received no guaranteed backpay.