Progress Made For Paying Government Workers After The Shutdown
While there seems to be no end in sight for the partial government shutdown, some of the furloughed workers seem to have gotten a bit of good news.
According to an article which appeared on the Government Executive website, President Trump signed into law on Wednesday a bill which would ensure 350,000 workers who have not been paid would get their back pay once the shutdown stalemate ends.
This affirms the 2019 Government Employee Fair Treatment Act which was passed by both bodies of Congress last week. Â Prior to the passage of this act, agencies had been directed to cancel any leave for government workers. This latest legislation not only guarantees the wages that federal workers have not been paid, it also guarantees that they can take any leave that they scheduled before the shutdown without any consequences.
Before the law was passed, many federal workers who have been furloughed or who are working without pay because of the partial government shutdown were uncertain how long they could go with no money coming in.  Representative TJ Cox (D-CA) introduced a bill on Thursday that would give federal workers no-interest loans of up to $6,000 to cover mortgages and other bills during the shutdown.  Democratic Representative from Michigan, Rashida Tlaib, is in full agreement with her colleague from California. “They’re pawning off their personal property. Many of them are even quitting,” she said. Providing loans is the right thing to do.”  Â
