Trump Signs Bill Giving Federal Workers Back Pay

[Sabre]

Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump signed a bill providing back pay to federal employees affected by the ongoing partial government shutdown, the White House announced Wednesday.

Trump signed the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, which the White House said "requires the compensation of government employees for wages lost, work performed, or leave used during a lapse in appropriations that begins on or after December 22, 2018, and entitles excepted employees to use leave during a lapse in appropriations."
The workers will be paid after the shutdown is over.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/trump-signs-backpay-bill-government-shutdown/index.html
https://www.apnews.com/2f43eb7f011d4d7698d3484dfa708a7e

 

[Airyaman]

I think I might agree with Justin Amash on this one. This bill makes this automatic for all shutdowns from here on out. Like he believes, this might make it enticing for politicians to have more and longer shutdowns in the future.

 

[mike2810]

I support the federal workers getting back pay. What I find since Trump signed the bill is he and Congress should end the shutdown. The employees need to get back to work and not back to work without pay till this spat ended between Trump and Congress. Stop using federal workers as pawns.

 

[The Mark]

I think I might agree with Justin Amash on this one. This bill makes this automatic for all shutdowns from here on out. Like he believes, this might make it enticing for politicians to have more and longer shutdowns in the future.

That's hardly the fault of government employees who live paycheck to paycheck though.

And shutdowns still effect them, as they are now.

Guaranteeing back pay isn't much.

 

[Airyaman]

That's hardly the fault of government employees who live paycheck to paycheck though.

And shutdowns still effect them, as they are now.

Guaranteeing back pay isn't much.

I don't have an issue with them getting back pay. I just have an issue with it being automatic from here on out. It will entice politicians to use government shutdown as a tool more frequently, imo.

 

[Rogue Valley]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/trump-signs-backpay-bill-government-shutdown/index.html
https://www.apnews.com/2f43eb7f011d4d7698d3484dfa708a7e

Congress passed the bill. Trump just signed it.

Fat Boy needs to sign the 6 funding CRs and reopen the federal government. Like yesterday.

 

[The Mark]

I don't have an issue with them getting back pay. I just have an issue with it being automatic from here on out. It will entice politicians to use government shutdown as a tool more frequently, imo.

I don't see how, it's back pay, they don't get it until the shutdown ends, so people will still be hurt by the thing.

I mean unless they get loans on future pay or something...

 

[Hawkeye10]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/trump-signs-backpay-bill-government-shutdown/index.html
https://www.apnews.com/2f43eb7f011d4d7698d3484dfa708a7e

So for some folks this is regular work with late pay, and for others this is additional paid vacation...and we get told that this is fair....







BARF

 

[HenryChinaski]

So for some folks this is regular work with late pay, and for others this is additional paid vacation...and we get told that this is fair....







BARF

This is a win for federal workers not receiving pay because now they have lots of extra time and a reason to go check out and explore their local food pantries and soup kitchens.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/trump-signs-backpay-bill-government-shutdown/index.html
https://www.apnews.com/2f43eb7f011d4d7698d3484dfa708a7e

Upon close reading, this bill entitles the people who are working without pay to receive the sum of $0.00 right now.

That sum of $0.00 is enough to pay the full expenses of a family of four for slightly less than 0.000000000001 seconds.

In fact, Mr. Trump spent more money buying "hamberders" for athletes whose average annual income (in all forms, including benefits) exceeds that average annual income for a family of four in the United States of America.

On the other hand, the photo of Mr. Trump showing off his largess was actually a photograph of Mr. Trump and a bunch of empty containers (food safety regulations prohibit food service in such a manner).

 

[Hawkeye10]

This is a win for federal workers not receiving pay because now they have lots of extra time and a reason to go check out and explore their local food pantries and soup kitchens.

This has at this point become a farce, one that is greatly damaging to the nation.

WE USED TO BE BETTER!

 

[HenryChinaski]

This has at this point become a farce, one that is greatly damaging to the nation.

WE USED TO BE BETTER!

Your act and meaningless one liners have gotten tiresome. And when it’s all said and done, you’re going to realize that you were on the wrong side of history.

 

[Airyaman]

I don't see how, it's back pay, they don't get it until the shutdown ends, so people will still be hurt by the thing.

I mean unless they get loans on future pay or something...

While it is good for federal workers to have this reassurance, its not quite so good for politicians -- who are the ones who end up shutting government down -- to have this reassurance. It will make them hesitate less when contemplating a shutdown.

I'm not mad at it, just think it is short-sighted.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

I think I might agree with Justin Amash on this one. This bill makes this automatic for all shutdowns from here on out. Like he believes, this might make it enticing for politicians to have more and longer shutdowns in the future.

What it doesn't do is overturn the decision that the federal government is liable for damages IN ADDITION TO the income loss.

On the first case with the same Plaintiffs, the same Defendant, and the exact same cause of action over the exact same tort, the court awarded amounts equal to 100% of the back pay as "liquidated damages".

On the second case (the one now pending) the courts are likely to increase that 100% to "(at least) 200%".

On the third case (the one filed after the next shutdown) the courts are likely to increase that "(at least) 200%" to "(at least) 400%".

If there is ever a sixth case, that could run into SERIOUS money.

Heaven help the economy if there is ever an eighth case.

PS - "Liquidated damages" are NOT "income" and, as such are not subject to taxation.

 

[Mr Person]

WE USED TO BE BETTER!

OBESIANT TREASURE SCARS!




Also, no, we didn't.