In preparation for a possible government shutdown, several federal agencies have advised their employees to mark their timesheets as 'furlough' for each day next week. This directive even includes Christmas Day, a federal holiday, at least in one agency. The handling of 'giving back' that day in the event of a shutdown remains uncertain.
As of now, federal workers are not immediately impacted by a potential shutdown. The current official federal pay date falls on December 26, with paper checks already distributed on December 23. However, the first pay day for 2025 is scheduled for January 9, with paper checks set to be issued on January 6. Should a shutdown occur, it could affect the upcoming pay cycle.
Under the Antideficiency Act, federal workers are guaranteed backpay during a shutdown. Nevertheless, the issue of recouping a lost holiday such as Christmas presents a separate challenge.
