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

WASHINGTON, D.C.—With the looming threat of a federal government shutdown, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said that if the federal government shuts down tomorrow, she will introduce a bill that would guarantee back pay to federally-contracted retail, food, custodial and security service workers furloughed during a shutdown in the current fiscal year (fiscal year 2018). Norton introduced a similar bill last April to guarantee back pay to federally-contracted low-wage workers in fiscal year 2017 when a shutdown was threatened. Norton is also an original cosponsor of a bill to provide back pay to federal employees who are furloughed during a shutdown.

"Low-wage federal contract workers are at particular risk of being denied pay as a result of this Republican-led government shutdown, through no fault of their own," Norton said. "Low-wage contract workers deserve the same back pay given to federal employees, which is almost always granted by Congress when the government reopens."