That would stop all air traffic and I don't recall previous shut downs including that.

no clear answers as to WHEN they WILL get paid.

as they are considered essential. As to pay, I do not know the answer.

And getting back pay is not guaranteed unless Congress approves a bill for it. So if you’re traveling by air this holiday season, if your TSA officers seem grumpier than normal, that’s why.

whenever they are funded.

But agencies will usually cherry-pick people to fulfill that bare minimum role and they will work without pay... Which always results in later suits and grievances filed by those folks requesting overtime, etc... most of which rarely pan out.

As noted above, there are departments/agencies that have appropriations but the others no... The other exception is if the employees work under "user fee" arrangements, which means under monies not appropriated by Congress but provided to the agency by regulated industry in order to perform certain work.

Robert F'ing Mueller, that's who.

considered Quit's. And they do not receive any pay checks unless their regular Pay period was active before the shut down.