[bsimpson]

As I recall from the last shutdown, Congress usually passes an apology bill to pay back-wages for the furloughed workers. In theory, it's unpaid time off, but in practice, they get made whole and it becomes a free (but potentially angsty) vacation.

[lambda]

Ah, you're right. I didn't recall whether they had been paid for that.

Either way, it's fairly inefficient; either they were paid for doing no work, or they were not paid and may leave for better jobs or morale destroyed due to that.

[bonesss]

Beyond the pay itself is also the financial anguish and unnecessary work the employees might have to go through if there is a missed car-payment or loan-payment or down-payment on a house... This creates meaningless productivity loss, with oodles of meaningless lost productivity required to make up for the original loss, to the glorious benefit of destroying morale and scaring away talent...

10/10 federal policy. #ShootFootNow #AskQuestionsLater