Congress pays federal workers during shutdown, bars layoffs
S. 3039 — True Shutdown Fairness Act · Filed by Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) · 30 cosponsors · Introduced Oct 23, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill appropriates emergency funds to pay federal employees their regular salaries, allowances, and benefits during the government shutdown that began October 1, 2025, retroactively covering all workers—whether furloughed or deemed essential—plus military personnel and contractors supporting them. It also prohibits agencies from conducting layoffs or placing employees on extended administrative leave during the shutdown.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to ensure federal employees and military personnel receive uninterrupted pay during a government shutdown and to prevent agencies from using the shutdown as a pretext for workforce reductions. This is a straightforward emergency appropriation with protective labor provisions.
What the text implies
- Contractors supporting federal employees are explicitly included as 'covered individuals,' meaning private firms providing services to agencies will be paid from this emergency appropriation—a significant but unstated financial commitment.
- The retroactive effective date (Sept 30, 2025) means the bill covers the entire shutdown period from day one, creating a complete wage replacement rather than a partial catch-up, which may exceed typical emergency-appropriation scope.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
federal employees (all agencies); active-duty military personnel; reserve component members