The recent government shutdown has left many federal workers and military personnel anxiously awaiting their paychecks. As the shutdown comes to an end, a timeline for back pay is beginning to take shape.
For federal employees at agencies like the General Services Administration (GSA) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the first round of paychecks will arrive on Saturday, November 15. These initial checks will only include base pay, with corrections made in the next pay cycle .
Other federal workers at departments such as Energy, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services are projected to receive their paychecks starting Sunday, November 16 . The government has assured that back pay will be issued as soon as possible after reopening, independent of the normal payroll calendar .
The military is also set to resume its regular payment cycles. While exact dates may vary depending on location and specific circumstances, service members can expect their paychecks to arrive shortly after federal workers . The Department of Defense has prioritized getting back pay to active-duty personnel as quickly as possible.
With the shutdown over, an estimated 1.4 million federal workers who missed paychecks are poised to start receiving payments again. This includes those furloughed and those deemed essential but not paid during the shutdown .
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) — representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers — is hopeful that back pay will be issued promptly to all affected employees .
As the government works through the backlog of missed payments, many are wondering how this financial strain will impact their personal finances in the short term. Experts recommend budgeting carefully and seeking assistance if needed.
The exact timing for each agency's back pay distribution may vary slightly, but the overall goal is to ensure that all federal workers and military personnel receive their due compensation as quickly as possible .
