As GOP’s government shutdown drags into its second month, the Trump administration is sending furloughed federal employees notices suggesting they may not be paid when it ends: “Once an appropriation or continuing resolution is enacted, excepted employees are entitled to receive payment.”

You will note it does not say “furloughed,” despite that appearing in the previous furlough notice. When a furlough goes beyond 30 days, agencies are instructed to treat it as a second furlough and send a new notice. This allowed the administration to continue signaling it intends to defy the 2019 law that requires furloughed workers to receive back pay once a shutdown ends.

The administration is perfectly aware of this, particularly because it was signed into law by one President Donald J. Trump during

See Full Page