Federal Government Reopens After 43-Day Shutdown

For the first time in more than six weeks, roughly 650,000 federal employees are expected to return to the office today. An additional 600,000 have been working without pay. Following House approval on Wednesday, President Trump signed the stopgap continuing resolution to fund most government agencies through January 30, 2026, ending the record-setting 43-day shutdown.

In a memo to federal agencies, the Office of Personnel Management outlined procedures for resuming operations and emphasized that it is "committed to ensuring that retroactive pay is provided as soon as possible." According to Semafor, the first wave of federal workers will begin receiving paychecks on Saturday, with the goal of paying all federal employees by Wednesday, Nov. 19.

OPM also directed agencies that issued Reduction in Force notices between Oct. 1 and Nov. 12 to formally rescind those actions within five days.

Throughout the shutdown, credit unions across the region stepped up to support members facing unexpected financial strain. More than $208 million in assistance was provided to over 11,000 members through low- or no-interest loans, skip-a-pay programs, and other relief efforts. Our Advocacy Team has shared this information with local, state and federal lawmakers to reinforce the value credit unions deliver. You can read more here.