H.R. 5628 · 119th Congress
Pay Workers What They’ve Earned Act
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D
HorsfordSponsor9 cosponsors · 9 D
2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill requires the federal government to reimburse states and employees of the federal government, the District of Columbia government, or federal contractors for certain costs incurred as a result of a lapse in appropriations (i.e., a government shutdown).
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Sep 30, 2025
Pay Workers What They’ve Earned Act
This bill requires the federal government to reimburse states and employees of the federal government, the District of Columbia government, or federal contractors for certain costs incurred as a result of a lapse in appropriations (i.e., a government shutdown).
Employee costs that must be reimbursed include costs incurred by an employee as a direct result of a lapse in appropriations, including expenses for loans and credit cards, and any fees, fines, or interest resulting from the employee's inability to make payments as a direct result of a loss in salary due to the lapse in appropriations.
With respect to a lapse in appropriations that begins on or about October 1, 2025, employees must be reimbursed for any shutdown costs on the earliest date possible after the enactment of this bill (subject to the enactment of an appropriations act ending the lapse). For subsequent lapses in appropriations, the bill requires that each employee be reimbursed for any shutdown costs on the earliest date possible after the end of a lapse in appropriations that lasts at least 14 days.
States must be reimbursed for payments for assistance programs that would otherwise be provided by the federal government but for a lapse in appropriations that lasts at least 14 days. The states must be reimbursed no later than 90 days after the end of the lapse in appropriations.
The reimbursements required by this bill are subject to the availability of appropriations.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Pay Workers What They’ve Earned Act
Latest action (Sep 30, 2025): Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance · Origin: House · Introduced: Sep 30, 2025
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.