Government Shutdown - Sep 2025 Thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So we could be ordered to work without pay? Wonderful.

everyone gets paid in a govt shut down retroactively. So it is not without pay.

[Anonymous]

I’m not so sure we’d get back pay this time around.

[Anonymous]

I think this would be a good test of who is loyal.

My idiot BIL worked for a nice family owned firm in NY where owner gave regular raises, great benefits and good pay. Never a layoff in history of company.

Well in late 2008 he got hit hard in financial crisis. Rather than lay off people he rolled out Free Fridays. Everyone would continue working five days a week but only paid for four days a week. He would do that till economy recovered so no one would lose job.

My short sighted and greedy BIL immediately started job hunting. It took 2-3 months and landed a job with a much longer commute, less job security for slightly less than prior job.

About 8 weeks later his old company announces around 20 percent of company quit. The less loyal employees he called them. He went back to five days a week pay, gave everyone their annual raise and said in summer 2009 things are back close to normal with less headcount I will make up for last years lack of bonus with a bonus that is higher for next few years. We are more lean and more profitable.

My BIl was furious. he was like I would have never have quit if I knew this would happen. And also I worked for less a few weeks and I am not getting a raise and extra bonus for it.

End story he commuted an extra hour a day nfor two years than laid off.

His old company never wanted any of the quitters back.

Maybe Uncle Sam should do same thing nexrt govt shutdown.

[Anonymous]

Pay for government employees who work during a shutdown; no pay for employees who don't work.

I am a liberal democrat, and can someone please explain why this shouldn't be the policy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pay for government employees who work during a shutdown; no pay for employees who don't work.

I am a liberal democrat, and can someone please explain why this shouldn't be the policy?

Because feds want to work and are unable to continue working?

Another point is that I have to do the same amount of work whether there's a shutdown or not. I just have to work harder and longer hours when work reopens. My cases don't go away magically when there's a shutdown.

[Anonymous]

Because government employees have no say in whether they can work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this would be a good test of who is loyal.

My idiot BIL worked for a nice family owned firm in NY where owner gave regular raises, great benefits and good pay. Never a layoff in history of company.

Well in late 2008 he got hit hard in financial crisis. Rather than lay off people he rolled out Free Fridays. Everyone would continue working five days a week but only paid for four days a week. He would do that till economy recovered so no one would lose job.

My short sighted and greedy BIL immediately started job hunting. It took 2-3 months and landed a job with a much longer commute, less job security for slightly less than prior job.

About 8 weeks later his old company announces around 20 percent of company quit. The less loyal employees he called them. He went back to five days a week pay, gave everyone their annual raise and said in summer 2009 things are back close to normal with less headcount I will make up for last years lack of bonus with a bonus that is higher for next few years. We are more lean and more profitable.

My BIl was furious. he was like I would have never have quit if I knew this would happen. And also I worked for less a few weeks and I am not getting a raise and extra bonus for it.

End story he commuted an extra hour a day nfor two years than laid off.

His old company never wanted any of the quitters back.

Maybe Uncle Sam should do same thing nexrt govt shutdown.

Generally, when you punish the entire workforce, your best employees who will have the most options are the first to leave unless you give them specific financial incentives to stay.

So basically that company just lost 20% of its best employees because those are the ones they amplify jobs real fast in the great recession

[Anonymous]

Trump will eliminate back pay except for essential workers is my guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay for government employees who work during a shutdown; no pay for employees who don't work.

I am a liberal democrat, and can someone please explain why this shouldn't be the policy?

Because feds want to work and are unable to continue working?

Another point is that I have to do the same amount of work whether there's a shutdown or not. I just have to work harder and longer hours when work reopens. My cases don't go away magically when there's a shutdown.

"But I want to work" is not a justification for getting paid when not working. When private sector employees are furloughed, they still want to work, but can't.

Also, federal employees, particularly lawyers, aren't paid on a piece rate system. They're paid for the time they are working. That's why when things are slow you get paid the same as when things are busy.

It troubles me that federal attorneys don't understand both of those points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trump will eliminate back pay except for essential workers is my guess.

Which is insane because he’s the one who signed the law that workers get back pay. But I wouldn’t be surprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay for government employees who work during a shutdown; no pay for employees who don't work.

I am a liberal democrat, and can someone please explain why this shouldn't be the policy?

Because feds want to work and are unable to continue working?

Another point is that I have to do the same amount of work whether there's a shutdown or not. I just have to work harder and longer hours when work reopens. My cases don't go away magically when there's a shutdown.

"But I want to work" is not a justification for getting paid when not working. When private sector employees are furloughed, they still want to work, but can't.

Also, federal employees, particularly lawyers, aren't paid on a piece rate system. They're paid for the time they are working. That's why when things are slow you get paid the same as when things are busy.

It troubles me that federal attorneys don't understand both of those points.

I think you are the one who is confused… the situation is created by dysfunction and not normal order. Federal employees are not the ones who should be facing consequences for no budget. It’s so bananas that any working person, liberal or conservative, would be advocating for declining to pay working people for no reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay for government employees who work during a shutdown; no pay for employees who don't work.

I am a liberal democrat, and can someone please explain why this shouldn't be the policy?

Because feds want to work and are unable to continue working?

Another point is that I have to do the same amount of work whether there's a shutdown or not. I just have to work harder and longer hours when work reopens. My cases don't go away magically when there's a shutdown.

"But I want to work" is not a justification for getting paid when not working. When private sector employees are furloughed, they still want to work, but can't.

Also, federal employees, particularly lawyers, aren't paid on a piece rate system. They're paid for the time they are working. That's why when things are slow you get paid the same as when things are busy.

It troubles me that federal attorneys don't understand both of those points.

I think you are the one who is confused… the situation is created by dysfunction and not normal order. Federal employees are not the ones who should be facing consequences for no budget. It’s so bananas that any working person, liberal or conservative, would be advocating for declining to pay working people for no reason.

I don't know why you think I'm confused. No one is advocating not paying people for time they work. But time where they are not working? No.

And of course it is the result of dysfunction. What else is new? Not sure why you think that should matter?

The reason that there are regular government shutdowns now, apart from the dysfunction, is that the consequences have been mitigated so it isn't a big deal anymore. So many employees are deemed "essential" that the a shutdown doesn't really significantly impact the majority of people. Back pay for non-working employees contributes to that.

During the height of Doge, many federal employees were really perplexed by the attitude of the general population - why didn't they care what fed were going through? If you don't think the (misplaced) righteous indignation of the PP, who thinks it is *obvious* that federal employees get paid for time they aren't working, plays into that, you aren't paying attention.

[Anonymous]

I don't think there will be a shutdown and maybe not even a continuing resolution - would look bad for Republicans since they have full control the government. I think everyone will fall in line with Trump and he will tout how he got something done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this would be a good test of who is loyal.

My idiot BIL worked for a nice family owned firm in NY where owner gave regular raises, great benefits and good pay. Never a layoff in history of company.

Well in late 2008 he got hit hard in financial crisis. Rather than lay off people he rolled out Free Fridays. Everyone would continue working five days a week but only paid for four days a week. He would do that till economy recovered so no one would lose job.

My short sighted and greedy BIL immediately started job hunting. It took 2-3 months and landed a job with a much longer commute, less job security for slightly less than prior job.

About 8 weeks later his old company announces around 20 percent of company quit. The less loyal employees he called them. He went back to five days a week pay, gave everyone their annual raise and said in summer 2009 things are back close to normal with less headcount I will make up for last years lack of bonus with a bonus that is higher for next few years. We are more lean and more profitable.

My BIl was furious. he was like I would have never have quit if I knew this would happen. And also I worked for less a few weeks and I am not getting a raise and extra bonus for it.

End story he commuted an extra hour a day nfor two years than laid off.

His old company never wanted any of the quitters back.

Maybe Uncle Sam should do same thing nexrt govt shutdown.

If feds are going to be treated like the private sector then we better also get the nice annual raise and higher bonuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pay for government employees who work during a shutdown; no pay for employees who don't work.

I am a liberal democrat, and can someone please explain why this shouldn't be the policy?

Because why would anyone remotely competent want to work for the government if you have to worry about potentially not getting paid because of politics every.single.fall? I wouldn’t have stayed this long if my paycheck was completely at the whim of Congress.