‘Many’ federal workers not paid during shutdown still waiting for back pay, Bost says
Many federal workers who were working for free or were furloughed during the partial federal government shutdown have not received their back pay yet, U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro said during a conference call with reporters ahead of Tuesday’s State of the Union address.
Bost said there has been a delay in payment processing even though the government reopened on Jan. 25.
“There was a delay in payments for two weeks just because of the process,” Bost said. “Many have not been paid.”
Bost did not have a specific number who are still waiting for payments.
The third-term congressman said his office was helping some federal workers get connected with food pantries as the workers waited for payments.
Bost added he expects back pay to be sent within a week.
The longest federal government shutdown took place because of budget impasse between Democrats and Republicans, who support President Donald Trump’s demand for $5.7 million to build a security wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
The partial shutdown left more than 450,000 federal employees working without pay. An additional 380,000 employees in the federal government were furloughed.
Ultimately the government was reopened after Trump agreed to a three-week spending bill that did not include border wall funding.
