Furloughed federal workers are guaranteed back pay under law. During the 35-day partial shutdown in President Donald Trump’s first term, about 340,000 of the 800,000 federal employees at affected agencies were furloughed. Will furloughed federal employees receive back pay? In 2019, Congress passed a law requiring that furloughed federal employees receive retroactive pay once operations resume. In a provocative move, the White House Office of Management and Budget has threatened mass firings of federal employees if a shutdown occurs.