Federal agencies are once again finding themselves in the position of having to decide what to do if the federal government shuts down next Monday evening.
As published reports have maintained, much of the government will continue to function, including mail service and troops staying put. But the paychecks of more than 800,000 federal workers could be jeopardized if they're told to stay home next week, according to The Washington Post.
Indeed, while more than 2 million other employees who are considered essential by the government—including the active military—would be entitled to their salaries, they may not get paid on time, the Post reported.
A glance at federal agencies' contingency plans as of Tuesday on the Office of Management and Budget's website shows a list of plans that haven't been touched since the last shutdown loomed in 2011.
Indeed, John Nester, a spokesman for the Securities and Exchange Commission, told ThinkAdvisor Tuesday that the SEC is "currently reviewing" its plan and has "no update" to report at the present time.
As Time reported on Tuesday, it's safe to "assume that most agency priorities have not significantly changed: in many cases the spending bill that is set to expire Monday is the same one that nearly expired two years ago."
However, The Post notes that while no law exists requiring that nonessential employees be compensated if they are ordered off the job, Congress has in the past voted to reimburse their losses once shutdowns ended. "But this go-round could be different. The bitterly divided Congress includes many lawmakers who are unsympathetic to the plight of federal workers and could be loath to help them recoup their money," says The Post.
The just–released First Command Financial Behaviors Index found that the majority of servicemembers and their families doubt that lawmakers will take appropriate actions to avoid a government shutdown in October or a second round of sequestration in the coming year.
