Shutdown Leaves Government Contractors Without Work And Likely No Back Pay

Many government contractors ― from food workers and janitors to security services and computer software developers ― depend on federal funds for their wages. Since the shutdown, some have seen their jobs furloughed or have received “stop work orders,” meaning they’re out of work until the government is up and running again.

And while federal employees, who may or may not have to work during the shutdown, will likely later get back pay for this period, government contractors in all likelihood will not.

“Starting yesterday, I was expected to go back to work, but, of course, I couldn’t,” said 47-year-old Misty Carrothers, a paralegal on a government contract with the Department of Justice. Her last day of work was Friday, due to the shutdown, which started that midnight.

“My last paycheck covers the first-of-the-month bills, which are the big ones: rent and car insurance. But then you have credit cards that come in the middle of the month, and my health insurance may or may not be fully covered on my next paycheck,” she said, noting that her husband is a student who works only part time. “It’s just like, when is this going to end?”

Susan Moser, a partner at the Cherry Bekaert law firm, which has clients who work under government contracts:

“You hear a lot in the paper about the government employees, and I’m sympathetic to their uncertainty, but if history is any indicator, they do get paid, even if they didn’t work ― but that’s usually not the case with government contractors,” Moser said. “They are disproportionately affected. You don’t hear a lot about these professionals who help make the government run.”

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/government-contractors-shutdown-wages-lost_us_5c255621e4b08aaf7a8ed79a