Those who still have jobs will receive back pay once funding is restored to their agency. In prior shutdowns, Congress had to approve back pay for employees, but a 2019 law made it mandatory. Contractors — who were responsible for carrying out about $755 billion worth of government work in the last fiscal year — are not guaranteed back pay.

The government shut down began at midnight on Wednesday as Democrats and Republicans appeared to be nowhere close to reaching a funding deal.

A government shutdown fast approaching, Democratic and Republican congressional leaders left a White House meeting with President Donald Trump Monday afternoon showing no sign of compromising from their entrenched positions in order to avoid a lapse in funding.

The first government shutdown in nearly seven years got underway as Republicans and Democrats remained at an impasse over 2025 funding.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that federal government layoffs during the shutdown will likely be in the thousands, ahead of President Trump’s meeting with Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought.

Congress is expected to vote Friday on a deal to reopen the government, but a bipartisan agreement still appears out of reach.

Most of the federal government is shut down after Congress failed to reach a funding agreement. We asked two House members — a Democrat and Republican — where they think talks go from here

The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) website officially blamed the “Radical Left in Congress” for the government shutdown.