Civic Register
| 1.3.19
Do You Think ‘Essential’ Federal Employees Should Have to Work Without Pay During a Shutdown?
Should "essential" employees have to work without pay during a shutdown?
What’s the story?
- The American Federation of Government Employees is suing the Trump administration for requiring “essential” employees to work without pay during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
- Approximately 380,000 federal employees are furloughed and 420,000 are working without pay due to the shutdown, which entered its 13th day on Thursday.
Who are considered “essential employees”?
According to court documents, “essential” government employees are those “performing emergency work involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.” They include:
- The Federal Aviation Administration
- Border Patrol agents
- Immigration enforcement personnel
- Law enforcement officers
- Federal firefighters
What are both sides saying?
- AFGE filed the suit in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims alleging that the government is violating the Fair Labor Standards Act by forcing employees deemed essential to work without pay.
- The union's president, J. David Cox, called the requirement to work without pay “inhumane.”
- "Our nation's heroes, AFGE members and their families deserve the decency of knowing when their next paycheck is coming and that they will be paid for their work," Cox said.
"Our intent is to force the government and the administration to make all federal employees whole."
- The White House has not responded to requests for comment, but President Donald Trump has said he’s waiting for the Democrats to make a deal that includes $5 billion in funding for his border wall.
“A lot of people are looking to get their paycheck. And so I’m ready to go anytime they want,” Trump told Fox News on New Year’s Day. “No, we are not giving up. We have to have border security. And the wall is a big part of border security—the biggest part."
- In the past, Congress has retroactively paid federal workers after shutdowns. But an official with AFGE said that because the current pay period is nearly over, even if a deal were reached on Friday, federal workers wouldn't see that money until late January.
What do you think?
Is requiring employees to work without pay “inhumane”? Or are they deemed “essential” for a reason? Take action above, then share your thoughts below.
—Josh Herman
(Photo courtesy U.S. Southern Command)
The Latest
-
IT: 🛢️ New Vermont measure could charge Big Oil for climate damages, and... Do you think Trump is guilty?Welcome to Friday, May 10th, friends... Vermont could be one of the first states to hold Big Oil accountable for the damages read more...
-
Stormy Daniels Takes the Stand in Trump Hush Money TrialUpdated May 9, 2024, 5:00 p.m. EST Adult film star Stormy Daniels, also known as Stephanie Clifford, spent two days on the stand read more... Law Enforcement
-
Vermont Measure to Charge Big Oil for Climate DamagesWhat’s the story? Vermont is expected to become one of the first states to hold Big Oil accountable for the damages caused by read more... Environment
-
IT: Trump's 2016 'deny, deny, deny' campaign strategy, and... How can you help the civilians of Ukraine?Welcome to Wednesday, May 8th, weekenders... As Trump's hush money trial enters it's third week, the 2016 campaign strategy of read more...