2019 Government Shutdown Officially Over, For Now

The shutdown is officially over, for now. When will federal employees get paid?

President Trump signed a bill Friday night that officially ends the partial government shutdown, the longest one in history. It was signed just hours after passing in the House and Senate.

Voice Vote in House and Senate

The House and Senate easily advanced a three-week funding bill to reopen the federal government. This happened a few hours after President Trump announced the deal that had been worked out.

The funding legislation passed the Senate by voice vote. The House passed the funding bill a short time later, also by voice vote. It will now go to the president’s desk for his signature.

This Senate vote was held a day after it had rejected two proposals to reopen the government. The situation changed on Friday after federal employees on furlough or working without pay missed their second paycheck. Also, delays at major airports were filling the national media and the political pressure undoubtedly increased on elected officials.

When Will Federal Employees Get Paid?

Now that the 35-day shutdown that delayed a few hundred thousand federal employees receiving two paychecks is about to officially end for the next three weeks, when will federal employees see the money they would normally have received?

Realistically, it will take several days for agencies to process payroll accounts. Most employees will see their first paycheck roll in from Wednesday-Friday of next week. No doubt, seeing that money appear in a checking account will be a good feeling.

About the Author

Ralph Smith has several decades of experience working with federal human resources issues. He has written extensively on a full range of human resources topics in books and newsletters and is a co-founder of two companies and several newsletters on federal human resources. Follow Ralph on Twitter: @RalphSmith47