President Donald Trump has signed a funding package ending the partial government shutdown and securing back pay for federal employees who were furloughed, according to Federal News Network.
- Shutdown status: The partial shutdown is over following Trump’s signature on the spending package, Federal News Network reported.
- Back pay secured: The legislation authorizes back pay for employees placed in furlough status during the lapse in appropriations, per FNN.
- OPM guidance: The Office of Personnel Management has advised agencies that Congress must authorize back pay for furloughed employees; the signed measure provides that authorization, according to FNN’s reporting.
- Who is affected: The back pay provision applies to furloughed federal employees impacted by the shutdown, FNN reported.
- Next steps: Agencies will move to implement the law and process pay actions consistent with OPM guidance and the enacted appropriations package, according to FNN.
The shutdown’s end follows congressional action to pass a spending deal and send it to the White House. In its reporting, Federal News Network noted that OPM’s longstanding position is that agencies cannot pay furloughed employees for time missed during a funding lapse unless Congress enacts legislation authorizing those payments. With the president’s signature, that legal requirement has been met, clearing the way for agencies to compensate affected employees.
For federal workers, the immediate practical issue is timing: even when back pay is guaranteed by law, pay processing can vary by agency payroll provider and the complexity of timekeeping records during the shutdown period. Employees should monitor internal agency communications for specific payroll timelines and instructions, particularly if they had mixed status (for example, some days excepted and some days furloughed) or if they used leave around the shutdown window.
Employees should also keep documentation of their duty status during the lapse (furlough notices, time-and-attendance records, and supervisor emails) in case payroll offices request confirmation while reconciling hours. Agencies typically issue follow-on guidance after OPM clarifies implementation details.
For background on shutdown-related pay rules and common misconceptions, see FedBrief: https://fedbrief.org/ (shutdown/pay policy explainers). For federal pay references and tools, see FedInfo: https://fedinfo.org/ (pay scales and calculators).
Source: Federal News Network — Mike Causey (Feb. 2026), “House passes spending deal to end partial shutdown securing back pay for furloughed feds,” https://federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-report/2026/02/house-passes-spending-deal-to-end-partial-shutdown-securing-back-pay-for-furloughed-feds/