Trump threatens no back pay for federal workers in shutdown

US President Donald Trump's management has warned of nary guaranteed backmost salary for national workers during a authorities shutdown, reversing what has been long-standing argumentation for immoderate 750,000 labor stood down, according to a memo being circulated by nan White House.

Trump, during his first administration, signed into rule aft nan longest authorities shutdown successful 2019 authorities to guarantee national workers person backmost salary during immoderate national backing lapse.

But successful nan caller memo, his Office of Management and Budget says backmost salary must beryllium provided by Congress, if it chooses to do so, arsenic portion of immoderate measure to money nan government.

The move by nan Republican management was wide seen arsenic a strong-arm tactic, a measurement to unit legislators to reopen nan government, now successful nan seventh time of a shutdown.

"There are immoderate group that don't merit to beryllium taken attraction of, and we'll return attraction of them successful a different way," Trump said during an arena astatine nan White House.

He said backmost salary "depends connected who we're talking about".

Asked a 2nd clip astir backpay for furloughed national workers fixed that nan request is spelled retired successful law, Trump said: "I travel nan law, and what nan rule says is correct."

Refusing retrospective salary to nan workers, immoderate of whom must stay connected nan occupation arsenic basal employees, would beryllium a stark departure from norms and practices and almost surely would beryllium met pinch ineligible action.

While national workers, arsenic good arsenic work members of nan military, person often missed paychecks during past shutdowns, they are almost ever reimbursed erstwhile nan authorities reopens.

"That should move up nan urgency and nan necessity of nan Democrats doing nan correct point here," House Speaker Mike Johnson said astatine a property convention astatine nan Capitol.

Johnson, a lawyer, said he hadn't afloat publication nan memo but "there are immoderate ineligible analysts who are saying" that it whitethorn not beryllium basal aliases due to repay nan national workers.

But Democratic Senator Patty Murray blasted nan Trump management arsenic defying nan law.

"Another baseless effort to effort and scare and intimidate workers by an management tally by crooks and cowards," Murray said.

"The missive of nan rule is arsenic plain arsenic tin beryllium — national workers, including furloughed workers, are entitled to their backpay pursuing a shutdown."

And Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, said, "My presumption is that nan furloughed workers will get paid."

In nan memo draught prepared for Trump's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) head Russ Vought, first reported by Axios, nan office's wide counsel Mark R. Paoletta lays retired a ineligible rationale for nary backmost salary for national workers.

The memo explains that while nan Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 says workers shall beryllium paid aft national backing is restored, it argues nan action is not self-executing.

Instead, nan memo says, repaying nan national workers would person to beryllium portion of consequent legislation, presumably successful nan measure to reopen nan government.

The OMB study draws connected connection acquainted to fund experts by suggesting that nan 2019 measure created an authorisation to salary nan national workers but not nan existent appropriation.

Congress, it says, is capable to determine whether it wants to salary nan workers aliases not.

For now, Congress remains astatine a standstill, pinch neither broadside — nor nan White House — appearing consenting to budge.

Democrats are fighting for wellness attraction costs to forestall a lapse successful national subsidies that frighten to nonstop security rates skyrocketing. Republicans opportunity nan rumor tin beryllium dealt pinch later.

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