House OKs back pay for furloughed federal workers

[Cryptoad]

Source: Politico

Lawmakers reported for duty on Capitol Hill on the fifth day of a federal government shutdown, convening for an unusual Saturday session with little hope of resolving the bitter budget standoff between the two parties.

The major legislative item for the day is a bill on the House floor that would give furloughed federal workers back pay once the shutdown is over. The legislation passed swiftly on Saturday morning, 407-0, and the White House has also endorsed the bill.


More than 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed due to the shutdown that began Tuesday.

Another non-binding resolution, considered under a parliamentary procedure requiring a two-thirds majority to pass, will allow military chaplains to continue to provide religious services during the shutdown.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/government-shutdown-saturday-97872.html?hp=bn

[dkf]

1. Yup I expected this.

[Cryptoad]

2. Thankfully

but paying workers for work not performed..

umm sounds like more GOP economic edicts

[dkf]

3. If we can do it for farmers...

Also saves the hassle of having them file for unemployment then needing to pay it back. We all know they are going to get back pay.

[Cryptoad]

7. Funny

nobody is talking about repealing ObamaCares anymore!

[Heather MC]

8. Well there's a reason for that

further explained by this



So basically you understand now right?

Can you explain it to me???

[RC]

4. Just think of it as a paid vacation.

[elleng]

15. Government employees,

and many others, are paid for sick days and vacation days. This is not different, except that its IMPOSED 'vacation days,' imposed by sick repugs.

[handmade34]

5. so the point of the shutdown is????

man, I despise these games being played

[elleng]

16. They don't know what the point of the shutdown is.

[Rebellious Republican]

6. Totally expected this, however how about all the private contractor employees that are laid off?

And countless private business's that cater to military bases, national parks and closed federal buildings bustling with employees. That are suffering!

[LovingA2andMI]

21. If Federal Workers are....

Receiving backpay, Contractors will also.

[Rebellious Republican]

22. Contractors yes, employees I doubt it. Never mind the Mom and Pop buisness's that will....

recieve nothing. Thanks for your two cents. You should check with the folks that are nearby any of these places.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Micigan+federal+installations+&oq=Micigan+federal+installations+&aqs=chrome..69i57.20744j0j8&sourceid=chrome&espvd=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=93&q=Michigan+federal+installations&spell=1

[lanlady]

24. sorry but -- that is absolutely not true

The government has sent us home, so our companies cannot bill the government for our services. We're having to use up vacation time or on leave without pay. We will not get those days back, and we will not be paid.

[Rebellious Republican]

25. I feel your pain, this poster is not very informed. Maybe they will learn something, maybe not.

[LovingA2andMI]

33. That's not true.

Large Government Contractors have a CONTRACT for services many of time essential as Federal Employees. Again, the standard signed in those agreements have NOT changed just the methodology of when payment will take place.

Read contractual law. Furthermore, a close member of my family works for the gov't via a large federal contractor and also, scroll up, I was NOT the Original Poster -- I REPLIED to a post.

[Rebellious Republican]

27. So what say you?

[Heather MC]

9. Woo Hooo paid Holiday!!!

SO now they are paying 800,000 people for doing nothing
except for the few working without pay

I am glad they passed this law. but this makes the Shutdown even more stupid.
They hate wasteful Gov. Spending but they don't mind paying people to do nothing when they could be working

Waiting for the moment they agree it's stupid and end it

[24601]

20. My colleagues on the job without (timely) pay will also be paid when it's over. But for those of us

sent home on furlough, we're not allowed to volunteer our time on our jobs.

It could set up camps with those working now grumbling about not getting time off with pay; however, most really don't think that way. My office chief is emergency essential and she's working "normal" hours to be paid whenever I'm paid.

Been getting cabin fever. Called my supervisor for contact accountability & told him we're going to get away overnight.

Regards to all - probably off net 24-36 hours.

[lanlady]

26. Just wait til Faux News gets hold of this

Paying federal workers for not working? Damn that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

[Rebellious Republican]

28. HMC, I do not think anyone below Congress Criters and House Litter trained pols is enjoying this.

No Flame, have some respect for the blue collar working folk in this situation, please.

[Sedona]

10. Millions of employees

of private businesses that depend on National Park tourists for their livelihoods are still shit out of luck.

I am having a hard time separating my GOP/FAUX NEWS loving neighbors, family and co-workers (not to mention my boss and his wife) from the treasonous, anarchists in DC.

(Silver lining alert...many of the tourists being turned away from the Grand Canyon are turning up in Sedona causing a boom in tourism here...go figure )

[Rebellious Republican]

13. Wow I am impressed, you must be the the token liberal in Sedona.

My very right wing stepdaughter and husband just moved out there recently. Are their any black folk there, because he is very racist, but hides it well. Many reasons why they moved there, mostly because of their RW beliefs.

http://www.clrsearch.com/Sedona-Demographics/AZ/Population-by-Race-and-Ethnicity

[Sedona]

14. Actually Sedona is quite blue as is Coconino County

for election results, scroll half way down the page.

http://www.city-data.com/county/Coconino_County-AZ.html

http://www.city-data.com/city/Sedona-Arizona.html

We are represented by Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick

From the official Sedona crystal hugging Realtor of the Stephanie Miller Show who just rented a house to an African American gentleman.

[Rebellious Republican]

18. Thanks for the education, I truly had no Idea.

Thats what I love about this place, keeps us all well informed. Specially liked it because did not do it with venom in your reply.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

36. Glad you said this because I'm black and will be in Sedone next week for a few days

I've been really worried about racism there. Worried about how I'll be treated.

[Sedona]

38. No worries for you in Sedona

not from the locals anyway.....we have twice as many tourists as locals in twn on any given day. I can't speak for them.

Give me a shout if you decide to stay....

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

39. Thanks so much for your kindness. I'm so looking forward to this break.

Need it badly!!

[TBF]

11. Of course they did -

I'm sure they are OK'ing the back pay for themselves as well ...

[elleng]

17. They are not getting 'back pay,'

they're getting regular pay.

[TBF]

19. Some of them (congress critters) asked the payroll office

to not pay them during the shutdown. Any idea what will happen with those cases? Will they be able to come back and ask for their "back pay" as well? Just curious. My representative down here made a big show of typing up a letter and putting it up on the Internet etc to show everyone he wasn't getting paid during the shutdown.

[elleng]

23. Dunno.

OPM (Office of Personnel Management) deals with this stuff for 'regular' employees, and I have no idea who or how such is handled for elected officials.

[Rebellious Republican]

30. Sorry it is back pay.

They are not receiving paychecks at this point, they are being furloughed, not their choice. Yes they will get pay owed to them because it was not their choice. Hench the term "Back Pay" money that was owed to them for not causing the work stoppage.

[elleng]

31. Congress is not furloughed,

congress is 'essential.' (HAHAHA) and is 'working,' if you can call it that.

[Rebellious Republican]

32. Absolutely, they get paid no matter what. God bless their patriotic unselfish souls!

[Nimyth]

12. They Are so out of touch

They think 'working' on Saturday during a 'crisis' makes them look good- have no clue how many people work on Sat and Sun because they need the extra hours to cover their expenses

[Duer 157099]

29. Once again, the banks will win

All those overdraft charges....

[BumRushDaShow]

34. Senate just adjourned and will not take up the House's Back Pay bill. nt

[freshwest]

40. Adjourned for how long?! Hadn't heard about this, just curious.

[newblewtoo]

35. This becomes an HR

nightmare rather quickly. For the people who are essential they work their regular job and usually cover other 'critical' jobs which are not officially considered essential (think overflowing wastebasket or toilet). They receive their regular pay, accrue their regular leave, and may in fact have pre planned leave curtailed for the duration of the shutdown.

The non essential people have a leave without pay situation with the pay restored on return to work. This may or not be treated as a break in service for future pay and promotion. They should not accrue sick or vacation time during the shutdown nor have leave previously scheduled deducted. What this amounts to is paying them to take time off that is not available to the essential personnel. I have often wondered how this can be 'fair' to the essential personnel. Granted the people forced out suffer a temporary loss of pay but they gain in terms of the amount of paid time off they have. This leads me to ask should the essential people be allowed the same amount of paid time off after this is resolve?

[Brooklyns_Finest]

37. Great Point

I'm considered an essential employee in my agency, and I have to face the task of motivating my employees to double their efforts, while their non essential colleagues are getting a paid time off. Additionally we were told that during the shutdown that all leave is canceled, which forced me to tell employees who had pre approved leave that they must report to work (I had to cancel a man's vacation last week). I have a young lady that is supposed to be off this week that will be coming in, but what if she watches the news and says "screw it, I'm staying home since if I don't come in I will be put in furlough status and eventually paid." With the passing of this bill I presume the union will fight to allow employees to take their leave as planned. All of this is feeding a sense of bitterness from the employees that have to be at work.

Congress should have waited until the shutdown is over before making this decision, just to maintain order within the ranks. Also, essential employees are still considered on furlough status and will not get paid until the shutdown has been resolved (so it will be back pay for us too). We have employees commuting from all areas, incurring regular travel and sometimes child care cost without getting paid while others get to stay at home on a paid time off. The first furlough pay day is this coming Friday, where people will get only half their usual pay.

I'm in management, and a loyal soldier so I will keep a straight face when dealing with the staff, but the longer this shutdown goes, the harder it will be to keep everyone happy.

[Volaris]

41. 407 to zero...

I wouldn't have voted for it...Yeah, I know it's kind of a dick move, but my argument against doing it would have been "Hey, rather than paying these people later for work we made them UNABLE to do in the meantime, howz about the fucking GOP crazy Caucus just go ahead and bring up the clean CR for a vote (you know, the thing that lets all the Federal employees go back to WORK, as WELL AS get paid? Because I'm pretty sure I would vote for THAT).