The 2025 government shutdown was the longest in U.S. history. For 43 days, hundreds of thousands of "excepted" federal employees were legally compelled to work without a paycheck. These public servants stood post at our borders, fought wildfires, guarded our prisons, and cared for the sick—often while relying on food banks to feed their own families.

The Aftermath: A "Haves and Have-Nots" Crisis When the government finally reopened, the compensation provided was arbitrary, divisive, and deeply unfair. The Administration awarded $10,000 bonuses to select employees at the TSA and FAA. While we applaud support for any worker, this "bonus" system created a two-tier workforce that ignored the vast majority of those who served.

• The "Perfect Attendance" Trap: The bonuses were tied to a strict "perfect attendance" metric. This effectively excluded 96% of the air traffic controller workforce. Dedicated employees were punished for missing a single shift—often because they couldn't afford gas or childcare due to the very shutdown that withheld their pay.
• The Forgotten Heroes: While some agencies used "carryover funds" for bonuses, hundreds of thousands of other essential workers who faced the exact same hardships received $0. This inequity is staggering:
  • Federal Law Enforcement: Agents and officers at the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and Bureau of Prisons (BOP) worked dangerous shifts without pay. They received $0 in bonuses. In fact, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) had to launch a charity fund just to help these officers pay rent.
  • Federal Firefighters: Wildland firefighters with the U.S. Forest Service risked their lives to protect our lands and communities during the shutdown. They received $0 in bonuses.
  • Federal Healthcare Workers: Medical staff providing critical care in federal prisons and at the NIH Clinical Center were required to work without pay to protect patient health and safety. They received $0 in bonuses.

This Is Not Justice. It is wrong to value the compulsory service of one employee over another simply because their agency had "spare change" in its budget. It is wrong to tell a federal firefighter or a nurse in a federal prison that their sacrifice is worth less than that of a TSA agent.

The Solution: The Essential Worker Fairness and Premium Pay Act

We, the undersigned, demand that Congress pass legislation to replace this failed, arbitrary bonus system with a fair, statutory guarantee for ALL excepted employees. We support the Essential Worker Fairness and Premium Pay Act, which would:

1. Guarantee 1.5x Premium Pay: Mandate time-and-a-half pay for all hours worked by any excepted employee during a lapse in appropriations.
2. Pay for Work, Not "Perfect Attendance": Compensate employees for the actual hours they served. If an employee works 40 days of a 43-day shutdown, they should be paid premium rates for those 40 days—not disqualified entirely.
3. Ensure Universal Equity: Apply the law equally to all Title 5 federal employees. A federal law enforcement officer, firefighter, or healthcare worker deserves the same respect and compensation as any other essential worker.