The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) is urging Congress and the administration to pass a bipartisan funding bill and enter “good-faith negotiations” to end a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown that the group says has stretched beyond six weeks, forcing more than 100,000 DHS employees to work without pay.
- Shutdown duration: More than six weeks, according to NARFE.
- Workforce impact: Over 100,000 DHS employees are reportedly required to work without pay because they are designated excepted employees, NARFE said.
- NARFE’s request: Passage of a bipartisan bill and good-faith negotiations to reopen DHS, according to NARFE’s March 31, 2026 statement.
- Pay implications: NARFE highlighted the immediate financial strain on employees missing paychecks during the lapse in appropriations.
- Labor and workplace issues: NARFE’s statement also raised concerns tied to furloughs and workplace stability, issues that can intersect with collective bargaining in affected components.
- Back pay: While NARFE emphasized the need to end the shutdown, federal employees generally look to Congress for assurances and mechanisms related to back pay following funding lapses (NARFE statement referenced the ongoing pay disruption).
- Date and source: NARFE published its call on March 31, 2026.
Brief context: DHS shutdowns and funding lapses typically create two immediate categories of impact for the workforce: (1) excepted employees who must continue working to protect life and property, often without pay until appropriations resume, and (2) furloughed employees who are barred from working. NARFE’s statement focuses on the first group, underscoring that a large share of DHS personnel are continuing mission-essential work without receiving paychecks during the lapse.
NARFE’s appeal comes as federal employee groups continue pressing policymakers to resolve shutdowns quickly to limit disruptions to pay, household finances, and agency operations. For affected DHS employees, the practical questions remain immediate: when pay will resume, whether and when missed pay will be restored, and how long the agency can sustain operations under shutdown constraints.
For broader background on shutdown-related pay and workforce rules, readers can consult FedBrief’s explainer resources (if needed) at https://fedbrief.org/.
Source: NARFE News, “NARFE urges passage of bipartisan bill, good-faith negotiations on homeland security to end DHS shutdown” (March 31, 2026), https://www.narfe.org/blog/2026/03/31/narfe-urges-passage-of-bipartisan-bill-good-faith-negotiations-on-homeland-security-to-end-dhs-shutdown-2/