Originally Posted by 84fiero

On 1) above - to clarify, the excepted employees (those who must continue to work during the shutdown) are 100% guaranteed to receive pay when funding is finally approved. The government incurs an obligation by accepting the benefit of those employees' services and is legally bound to pay them; the government cannot accept voluntary services other than in limited circumstances. (Not that it would suck any less to keep coming to work when your paycheck is in limbo - especially this time when one side of the shutdown standoff seems OK with letting it drag on indefinitely.)

Non-excepted employees (those who aren't required to work and are furloughed instead) aren't guaranteed backpay but most likely will receive it based on past shutdown history.