Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC, and other Smithsonian Museums closed their gates to visitors as the government shutdown drags on.

Federal workers would be in line to get their next electronic paycheck on Friday, Oct. 24, if not for the ongoing government shutdown.

During the shutdown − which entered its 21st day on Oct. 21 − many government employees are not paid due to the lapse in funding.

While many federal workers are furloughed during this time, some essential employees, like members of the military, are still required to work during the shutdown.

Active-duty military members ended up being paid on Oct. 15 after a push from President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said sworn law enforcement officers who work for DHS, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, will receive a "super check" on Oct. 22 to cover hours worked during the shutdown.

Once Congress agrees on government appropriations, ending the shutdown, all federal employees should get paid as usual.

Will government workers get a paycheck on Oct. 24?

Federal workers are set to miss their paycheck on Oct. 24.

Sworn law enforcement officers for DHS appear to be the exception. Noem said the officers will receive a "super check" on Oct. 22 covering hours worked in recent weeks.

Some military members also told USA TODAY they received paychecks on Oct. 15, the last payday, though it's unclear if they will get paid for the latest pay cycle. According to the Department of Defense, which was recently renamed to the Department of War, military members' next payday is scheduled to be Oct. 31.

The blame game is in full effect as the shutdown stretches on, impacting a growing number of Americans. For example, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said in an Oct. 14 statement on X that the White House is "making every preparation to batten down the hatches and ride out" the shutdown.

Democrats continue to push for health care funding, and Republicans have called for the government to reopen before any health care debate.

Will government workers get backpay after the shutdown ends?

All federal workers are set to receive "retroactive pay" after the shutdown ends for any hours logged during the lapse, according to a memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

During the shutdown, essential employees who are still working should continue to document their hours in accordance with special instructions from their agency's payroll provider, according to OPM.

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, which was passed during the last government shutdown, says that federal workers who are furloughed during a lapse in government funding "shall be paid for the period of the lapse."

However, Trump said on Oct. 7 that some furloughed federal workers "don’t deserve" to receive back pay once the shutdown ends.

See government employee payroll schedule

The first government pay period to fall completely within the ongoing shutdown ran from Oct 5 to Oct. 18. The current pay period runs from Oct. 19 to Oct. 31, according to the U.S. Government Services Administration.

After that, if the shutdown ends in time, time cards would need be certified between Nov. 3-4 and funds would be transferred on Nov. 7.

See the October and November schedule below:

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will government workers get paid this week? Here's the latest

Reporting by Melina Khan, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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