Shutdown Fairness Act

This bill would provide the necessary funding to pay federal employees and active-duty members of the Armed Forces who are required to work during a government shutdown. It proposes that these "excepted" employees, as well as certain supporting contractors, receive their standard pay, benefits, and allowances during the shutdown period rather than waiting until the funding lapse ends. These provisions would apply retroactively as if enacted on September 30, 2025.

This bill directly affects federal employees classified as excepted employees who are required to work during a government shutdown. It also applies to members of the Armed Forces on active duty and certain contractors who provide support to federal employees during such periods. Additionally, federal agencies are affected as they are provided with the appropriations necessary to issue standard pay, benefits, and allowances to these individuals while a shutdown is in progress.

• Appropriations for excepted employee pay during shutdowns. Provides federal agencies with the necessary funding to pay excepted employees their standard rates of pay, allowances, benefits, and other differentials for work performed during a government shutdown.
• Expansion of the excepted employee definition. Specifies that the term excepted employee includes active-duty members of the Armed Forces and certain contractors who provide support to federal employees during a shutdown.
• Restrictions on fund usage. Prohibits federal agencies from using the funds provided by this bill during periods when interim or full-year appropriations are already in effect.
• Retroactive effective date. Establishes that the provisions of the bill take effect as if they had been enacted on September 30, 2025.

The bill is established to take effect as if it had been enacted on September 30, 2025.

This bill modifies the timing of compensation for federal employees required to work during a government shutdown, who under current law are not paid until a shutdown ends. It also expands the classification of excepted employees to include certain contractors and active-duty members of the Armed Forces for the purpose of receiving pay during such periods.

The bill aims to ensure that federal employees, certain contractors, and active-duty members of the Armed Forces who are required to work during a government shutdown receive their standard pay and benefits while the shutdown is in progress, rather than waiting until it concludes.