Shutdown Fairness Act

Key Points

• This bill guarantees that federal employees, military members, and certain government contractors continue receiving their regular pay during any government shutdown. It creates a permanent automatic appropriation so paychecks keep flowing even when Congress hasn't passed a budget.
• The bill covers a very wide range of workers, including all executive, legislative, and judicial branch employees, active-duty military, reservists performing duty, individual contractors who support agency employees, and employees of contracting companies required to work during a shutdown.
• Workers would be expected to keep doing their normal jobs during a shutdown, and the funds can only be used for employee pay. Agencies cannot redirect this money for other purposes.
• The law would apply retroactively to cover any pay missed since September 30, 2025, and requires agencies to pay workers within 7 days of enactment for the retroactive period, even if it falls outside the normal pay schedule.
• Even furloughed workers who were told to stay home during the shutdown would receive their full pay under this bill, treating everyone as if they had been working the whole time.