Washington (October 9, 2025) – Axios is reporting that the administration is considering not giving back pay to all federal employees after the government shutdown ends. A draft White House memo suggested it is not required for furlough workers to be paid, depending on the worker. Although many leaders support back pay for government workers, some top GOP leaders view withholding it as a way to push Democrats to concede in the ongoing funding battle.
For additional context and analysis, please consider Casey Burgat, a professor at the George Washington University School of Political Management. Professor Burgat is the director of the Legislative Affairs program and hosts its Mastering the Room podcast. Prior to joining GW, Burgat was a Senior Governance Fellow at the R Street Institute where his research focused on issues of congressional capacity and reform.
To speak with Professor Burgat, please contact Skyler Sales at skylers
gwu [dot] edu (skylers[at]gwu[dot]edu).
-GW-