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Norton Introduces Bill to Grant Back Pay to Furloughed Federally Contracted Low-Wage Workers if Federal Government Shuts Down

April 26, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C.—With the looming threat of a federal government shutdown later this week, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a bill that would guarantee back pay to federally-contracted retail, food, custodial and security service workers furloughed during a shutdown in fiscal year 2017. The government will shut down at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2017, unless a spending bill is passed by Congress and signed into law by the president. Norton is also an original cosponsor of a bill to provide back pay to federal employees who are furloughed during a shutdown.

"Low-wage federally contracted workers should not be punished by the failure of Congress to do its job and keep the government open and operating," Norton said. "Low-wage contract workers deserve the same back pay given to federal employees they work alongside of every day."

Norton's full introductory statement is below.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Low-Wage Federal Contractor Employee Back Pay Act of 2017

April 26, 2017

Ms. Norton. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Low-Wage Federal Contractor Back Pay Act of 2017, to grant back pay to federally contracted retail, food, custodial and security service workers who may be furloughed if there is a federal government shutdown this fiscal year. The bill would apply to all three branches of the federal government. The idea for the bill was brought to my attention by federally contracted service workers, some of whom work here on the Capitol grounds providing Members of Congress and congressional staff with daily services, in 2013 when the federal government shut down.

Many federally contracted workers in federal agencies earn little more than the minimum wage with few, if any benefits, and while others are unionized with a little better wage, all are the lowest paid workers in the federal government and should not be punished because Congress fails to do its job and keep the government functioning. Congress has historically provided back pay to federal employees, who work in the same buildings as these low-wage service workers, furloughed during government shutdowns -- but not low-wage contract workers. However, both groups of workers deserve to be made whole after these shutdowns. I recognize, of course, that contract workers are employees of contractors, but the distinction between federal workers and at least the lowest-paid service workers who serve the federal government and its employees and keep, for example, their premises clean, fails when it comes to a deliberate government shutdown. Unlike many other contractors, those who employ low-wage service workers have little latitude to help make up for lost wages. Low-wage federally contracted service workers could least afford the loss of pay during a shutdown, and should not have to go to work every day with everyone else in their federal buildings likely receiving back pay except for them.

The nation's capital is the high-profile home of the federal government's collusion with contractors that pay low wages through leases and contracts with federal agencies. At least this legislation would provide some parity to their low-wage federal contractor workers.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support the legislation.