Many others deemed “essential workers,” from active-duty members of the military and federal police officers to TSA Agents and air traffic controllers, will be forced to work without pay until the shutdown ends. “Think of those regular things to get here early.”At all eight U.S. military bases across the state, small businesses, from restaurants to dry cleaners and more, rely on military pay. “If a shutdown extends beyond mid-October, USDA could technically tap its contingency reserve funding to cover SNAP costs,” Gina Plata-Nino, Interim Director at Food Research & Action Center, explained. Furloughed employees typically receive back pay once the government reopens, but essential workers may not receive timely compensation unless specific legislation is passed. Members of Congress and Trump will continue to receive full pay during the shutdown.