President Donald Trump has signed a funding package ending the partial government shutdown and authorizing back pay for federal employees who were furloughed, according to Federal News Network.
- Shutdown status: The partial shutdown has ended after Trump signed the appropriations package, Federal News Network reported.
- Back pay included: The signed package provides back pay for furloughed federal employees, according to FNN’s Mike Causey.
- Who decides back pay: OPM guidance states that Congress determines through legislation whether furloughed employees receive pay for the shutdown period.
- What to expect next: Agencies will rely on OPM guidance and internal payroll processes to implement back pay once the legislation is in effect, consistent with standard shutdown procedures described by OPM.
- Key terms for employees: The package addresses pay treatment for furloughed employees; employees who were required to work as “excepted” during the lapse typically receive pay once appropriations are enacted, based on longstanding shutdown practice outlined in OPM materials.
The shutdown ended after the House passed the spending deal and the president signed it into law, Federal News Network reported. Causey’s report noted that the legislation includes back pay for furloughed workers—an issue that often remains unresolved until Congress explicitly includes it in a funding measure.
OPM has repeatedly emphasized in shutdown guidance that employee pay during a lapse in appropriations is governed by law, and that back pay for furlough periods is not automatic unless Congress provides it. In prior shutdowns, Congress has often enacted back-pay provisions after or alongside final appropriations, but OPM’s position is that the authority comes from legislation, not agency discretion.
For federal employees, the immediate practical impact is that agencies can resume normal operations funded under the new package and begin the administrative steps needed to restore pay for any covered furlough period. Timing can vary by agency and payroll provider, but employees should watch for agency-specific communications on when back pay will appear and whether any additional time-and-attendance actions are required.
Employees looking for general shutdown pay rules and related guidance can review FedBrief’s explainer on shutdown pay and furlough status: https://fedbrief.org/. For reference tools tied to federal pay and benefits, FedInfo maintains calculators and guides: https://fedinfo.org/.
Source: Federal News Network — Mike Causey, “House passes spending deal to end partial shutdown, securing back pay for furloughed feds” (Feb. 2026), https://federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-report/2026/02/house-passes-spending-deal-to-end-partial-shutdown-securing-back-pay-for-furloughed-feds/