Government employees should receive salary arrears within a few days

WASHINGTON – A White House official said on Friday that the Trump administration was taking steps to have salary arrears paid as soon as possible

President Donald Trump announced Friday that the government would reopen until February 15 while negotiations on funding for border security continued.

President's actions, federal workers will be paid in the coming days, "tweeted the White House. "To the public servants who worked unpaid and retired, we thank you. For Congress, it is time to negotiate and settle once and for all the humanitarian crisis on our border. "

Administration officials indicated that the payroll could vary by agency and encouraged employees to contact their specific employer for more information.

Congress voted. a January 16 bill to ensure that government employees receive their salary arrears as soon as possible after the government reopens, regardless of the next scheduled pay date. However, the bill did not offer the same protections to millions of government contractors, such as janitors and food service workers, who are often very poorly paid.

"Launch the checks, now. Federal employees have not been paid for more than a month and their loan and rent are due next week, "said Union Rearland Employees' Union President Tony Reardon in a statement on Friday. "They should not have to wait another minute."

Although the government was comforted by the temporary reopening of the government, federal employees feared that they would find themselves in the same situation in a few minutes. weeks.

Mandy Ranslow, an analyst for the Historic Preservation Advisory Council, said he feels personally optimistic about the reopening of the government and "does not overlook the idea that we could [be] in this same situation in three weeks, considering the fact that rich men who make decisions and who do not understand why federal employees are suffering. "

Jason Swearingen, a contract employee of NASA, said that in mid-January, he had used all his vacation days to overcome the closure.

"I do not know if my vacation hours will be reimbursed," he wrote to Twitter on NBC News. I am happy that there is at least one temporary opening, but I am sorry that it is temporary. . "

The Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo also announced Friday that they would reopen next Tuesday.