True Shutdown Fairness Act

Key Points

• This bill would guarantee regular paychecks for all federal employees across all three branches of government during any lapse in appropriations that began October 1, 2025. It covers both furloughed workers and those deemed essential who continue working without pay.
• The bill extends pay protections beyond regular federal workers to include contractors supporting federal agencies, active-duty military members, and National Guard or Reserve members performing active service or training during the shutdown.
• Agencies would be banned from carrying out layoffs or reductions in force during the shutdown. The bill also limits administrative leave to no more than 10 work days per calendar year, preventing agencies from sidelining employees as a workaround.
• The funding would come from the Treasury and later be charged against future appropriations once Congress passes a regular budget. This means the government essentially fronts the money now and accounts for it later.
• The bill applies retroactively to September 30, 2025, the day before the shutdown started, so no federal worker loses pay for time already spent working or furloughed during the funding gap.