DHS Shutdown 2026: TSA Pay, Back Pay Rules & What Happens Next
Day 41 of the DHS shutdown: Senate passes funding bill (minus ICE/CBP), nearly 500 TSA officers quit, longest wait times in TSA history. Back pay rules, FAQ, and what happens next.
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Government Shutdown 2026: What Federal Employees Need to Know
Last Updated: March 27, 2026
Update (March 27, 2026): Day 41, Senate Passes DHS Funding (Minus ICE/CBP)
The Senate voted unanimously early Friday to pass legislation funding all DHS agencies except ICE and CBP. The bill must still clear the House before going to Trump's desk.
What this means for you:
- TSA, FEMA, CISA, and Coast Guard would be funded and employees paid
- ICE and CBP remain unfunded as political leverage for immigration reform
- House vote timeline is unclear, and Congress departs for Easter recess March 30
- Prediction markets put the likely end date at April 13 (three days after recess ends)
TSA crisis at breaking point:
- Nearly 500 TSA officers have quit since February 14 (up from 400+ on March 22)
- Callout rates exceed 11% nationally, with some airports over 40%
- Longest wait times in TSA history: 4.5+ hours at major hubs
- Second missed paycheck hitting March 27-28, historically the tipping point for mass resignations
- Trump signed an executive order on March 26 directing new DHS Secretary Mullin to "immediately pay" TSA agents, though budget authority remains uncertain
Political timeline:
- Mullin confirmed as DHS Secretary (March 26)
- Easter recess: March 30 through April 10
- Senate Majority Leader Thune threatened to cancel recess unless a deal is reached by Friday
- Discharge petition (opened March 18 by DeLauro) still needs 5 Republican signatures
- If the House passes the Senate bill, the shutdown could end as soon as the bill reaches Trump's desk
What hasn't changed: IRS, VA, SSA, and all non-DHS agencies remain fully funded. Only DHS agencies are affected. Back pay is expected under GEFTA.
Update (March 22, 2026): Day 37, Longest Partial Shutdown in US History
This shutdown has now surpassed the 2018-2019 record (35 days), making it the longest partial government shutdown in US history. The all-time record (43 days, from the fall 2025 full shutdown) would fall around April 4-5 if unresolved.
TSA checkpoint closures have begun:
- Philadelphia (PHL): 3 of 7 security checkpoints closed
- Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH): Terminals C and D checkpoints closed entirely
- 400+ TSA officers have now resigned (up from 366 on March 16)
- New callout rates: New Orleans 39%, Houston Bush 33%, JFK 29%, BWI 23%
Second missed paycheck coming March 27-28. Transportation Secretary Duffy called current conditions "child's play" compared to what happens after a second missed check.
Political situation:
- Discharge petition opened March 18 (DeLauro). All House Democrats expected to sign. Needs 5 Republican signatures to reach 218. None have signed publicly.
- Senate Easter recess starts March 30 and runs through April 10. Majority Leader Thune threatened to cancel recess unless a deal is reached. Bipartisan talks with Tom Homan resumed March 19-20 (first meeting in six weeks), but both sides described as "a long ways apart."
- Prediction markets put the likely end date at April 13, three days after recess ends.
- Mullin confirmation hearing held March 18. Final vote expected March 23-24.
- Trump announced ICE deployment to airports on March 21, scheduled to begin March 23.
What hasn't changed: IRS, VA, SSA, and all non-DHS agencies remain fully funded and operational. Only DHS agencies (TSA, FEMA, CISA, Coast Guard civilians) are affected.
Update (March 17, 2026): Day 31, Spring Break TSA Crisis Peaks
366+ TSA officers have now resigned since the shutdown began, and national callout rates hit 10.19% on March 15 (the highest since the shutdown started). Spring break travel is compounding the crisis:
- Houston Hobby: 55% callout rate, 4-5 hour security lines reported
- JFK: 28.2% callout rate
- EWR Newark: 13.83% callout rate
- March 15-16 weekend: 446 flight cancellations and 4,910 delays nationwide
New political developments:
- A discharge petition has been filed in the House to force a vote on a clean CR, needing 218 signatures
- Rep. Markwayne Mullin is leading congressional hearings on the shutdown's impact
- The Senate enters Easter recess April 13, potentially extending the shutdown through May if no deal is reached before then
Update (March 14, 2026): Day 29 — First Zero Paycheck Arrives
The DHS partial shutdown reached Day 29 today. This is no longer a warning about a future deadline — the financial cliff has arrived.
What happened March 11-14:
- 61,000 TSA officers received a zero paycheck today. Over 100,000 DHS workers across TSA, FEMA, CISA, and Coast Guard civilians have now missed their first full paycheck.
- 305 TSA officers have quit since February 14, according to internal agency statistics reported by CBS News. That pace is tracking faster than the 1,100 officers who resigned after the 2025 shutdown. Robert Echeverria, a 9-year TSA veteran at Salt Lake City airport and father of three, is one of them. "My family has to come first," he told CBS News.
- The nationwide TSA callout rate is 6%, up from a 2% baseline. Some airports are far worse: JFK 21%, Atlanta 19%, Houston Hobby 18%, New Orleans 14%, Pittsburgh 13%. Spring Break peak travel (March 14-22) begins today.
- A fourth Senate cloture vote failed March 12, 51-46. Senator Fetterman was again the only Democrat to vote yes. Sen. Murray's proposal to fund TSA, FEMA, CISA, and the Coast Guard separately was blocked by Sen. Britt. Sen. Britt's counter-offer for a 2-week CR was blocked by Sen. Murray.
- The House went on recess March 12. No legislation can advance for at least 7 days. The shutdown will mathematically surpass the 2018-2019 35-day record.
- Global Entry was restored March 11 at 5:00 a.m. ET after a 17-day suspension since February 22.
- FEMA's tornado tracking contract lapsed. The roughly $200,000 contract — which pinpoints tornado paths to guide search-and-rescue crews — was not renewed. When deadly tornadoes struck the Midwest on March 13, rescuers operated without the tool. FEMA staff flagged the renewal need to DHS leadership in January; it was still in Noem's approval queue when she was fired.
- Mullin confirmation hearing is scheduled for March 18. He has not been confirmed. The March 31 transition date is uncertain.
If you have now missed your first full paycheck: File for unemployment compensation (UCFE) immediately — your state unemployment office handles this and your first missed paycheck is the trigger date. Contact Navy Federal, USAA, USSFCU, or First Command today about 0% shutdown emergency loans. Use our GS Pay Calculator to calculate your exact biweekly shortfall for loan applications and budgeting.
Update (March 6, 2026): Third Senate Failure, Noem Fired, Day 21
The DHS partial shutdown reached Day 21 with no resolution after the Senate failed for a third consecutive time to advance funding.
What happened on March 5:
- Senate voted 51-45, short of the 60-vote cloture threshold. Senator Fetterman (D-PA) was the only Democrat to side with Republicans. No other Democrats crossed party lines.
- The House passed H.R. 7744 (221-209), a full-year DHS funding bill, with four Democrats crossing party lines. The bill is dead in the Senate unless the filibuster threshold changes or Democrats shift position.
- Trump fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. The trigger: Noem testified under oath that Trump personally approved a $220 million DHS advertising campaign, contradicting the White House. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was named as her replacement, effective March 31. Mullin must first resign from the Senate, reducing the Republican caucus by one vote temporarily.
Day 21 flight disruptions (March 6): 303 cancellations and 1,919 delays nationally, with Chicago Midway seeing 118 cancellations. TSA staffing gaps from callouts are compounding weather disruptions. A TSA checkpoint at Hobby Airport (Houston) was temporarily closed due to staffing shortages.
The March 13-14 collision: OMB directed federal agencies to submit workforce reduction (RIF) plans by March 13 — one day before TSA's first full missed paycheck on March 14. DHS employees faced simultaneous shutdown pay loss and active RIF planning.
OPM retirement backlog: Hit 65,237 pending claims in February, a 21% monthly jump. DHS employees trying to retire face an additional delay: furloughed agency HR staff cannot forward retirement paperwork to OPM for processing. File digitally via OPM's ORA system to minimize delays. Paper applications currently take 95 days under normal conditions. Read more in our OPM retirement processing section below.
Update (March 5, 2026): Day 20 and Paychecks Are Being Missed
The DHS partial shutdown reached Day 20 with no resolution in sight.
Pay disruptions have arrived:
- TSA workers received a partial paycheck on February 28. It covered only hours worked before the shutdown began. The first fully missed paycheck arrived March 14, 2026, which falls on a Saturday during peak Spring Break travel.
- Coast Guard civilians received approximately 50% of their normal paycheck on February 27. Uniformed Coast Guard members are protected by a prior-year spending law mechanism. Civilians are not.
- CBP clarification: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is being used to pay approximately 57,600 CBP employees. However, roughly 5,600 CBP employees in excepted roles are still working without pay.
Congressional negotiations are deadlocked. Senate Majority Leader Schumer said parties are "still far apart" as of March 3. Both chambers scheduled procedural votes for March 5 (Senate at 1:45 p.m., House at approximately 4 p.m.), but the Senate has already failed to reach the 60-vote threshold twice. There is no expected resolution before March 14.
A new factor: U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran (February 28 to March 1) have added political pressure. Republicans are using the conflict to push Democrats to drop ICE reform demands. Democrats argue the Iran situation makes oversight reforms more urgent, not less.
The core dispute: Democrats are insisting on a 10-point ICE conduct reform package (body cameras, officer identification, warrant requirements for private-property arrests) before funding DHS. Republicans want a clean funding bill, arguing national security cannot wait.
Update (February 15, 2026): DHS Partial Shutdown Begins
DHS shut down at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, February 15, 2026. Congress left for a week-long recess without passing a Homeland Security appropriations bill. This is a DHS-only shutdown. All other federal agencies are fully funded through September 30, 2026.
If you do not work for DHS, your pay and operations are unaffected. If you are a DHS employee, read on.
What's Different This Time
This is not a full government shutdown. Only DHS lost funding. But two factors make it unusual:
- ICE and CBP are largely insulated. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 2025) provided roughly $140 billion in reconciliation funding to ICE and CBP. These agencies operate outside normal appropriations and continue enforcement operations regardless of the shutdown.
- OPM weakened the back pay language. In January 2026, OPM removed reference to the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act from its shutdown guidance. GEFTA remains law, and Congress has included back pay in every recent shutdown resolution. But the administration now frames back pay as a legislative decision rather than an automatic guarantee.
Previous: January 2026 Shutdown (Resolved)
The January 2026 partial shutdown began January 31 and was resolved in early February via bipartisan spending agreement. Back pay was confirmed for all affected employees. DHS received a two-week continuing resolution through February 13, which expired without renewal.
Three shutdowns in under six months. The 43-day shutdown last fall, the January 2026 episode, and now this DHS partial shutdown. Federal employees need to be prepared at all times.
This guide covers pay, benefits, and what to do depending on your status.
Key Takeaways
- DHS is the only agency shut down. All other agencies are funded through September 30, 2026.
- Paychecks are now being missed. TSA and 100,000+ DHS workers missed their first full paycheck March 14.
- 366+ TSA officers have resigned since the shutdown began — the fastest pace since the 2025 shutdown.
- Coast Guard civilians received only about 50% pay on February 27. Uniformed members are protected by prior-year appropriations.
- ICE and CBP are largely unaffected thanks to $140B in OBBBA reconciliation funding, though about 5,600 CBP employees still work without pay.
- TSA, Coast Guard civilians, FEMA, CISA bear the financial weight. CISA furloughs 62% of staff.
- Back pay is expected but the language has weakened. GEFTA remains law; OPM's guidance no longer references it directly.
- Contractors are NOT covered. No legal right to back pay.
- The shutdown will surpass 35 days by approximately March 21, setting a new record for the longest partial government shutdown in modern U.S. history.
DHS Component Status (Updated March 14, 2026)
| Component | Employees | Pay Status | Furlough Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSA | ~61,000-64,000 | Working without full pay | ~5% furloughed | First full missed paycheck arrived March 14. 366+ officer separations. National callout rate peaked at 10.19% on March 15; Houston Hobby hit 55%. |
| Coast Guard (uniformed) | ~40,000 | Paid via prior-year law | Minimal | Protected through existing appropriation mechanism |
| Coast Guard (civilians) | ~15,000 | ~50% partial pay Feb 27 | ~2/3 furloughed | No equivalent protected funding stream |
| FEMA | ~22,000 | Partial pay/delayed | ~16% furloughed | Emergency response continues; tornado tracking contract lapsed March 13 |
| CISA | ~2,341 | Working without pay or furloughed | ~62% furloughed | Highest furlough rate; cybersecurity ops reduced |
| Secret Service | ~8,200 | Working without pay | ~6% furloughed | Protective operations continue |
| CBP | ~65,000 | Paid via OBBBA (~57,600 employees) | ~5,600 excepted/unpaid | OBBBA reconciliation funding covers most |
| ICE | ~20,000 | Paid via OBBBA | Minimal | OBBBA provides ~$75B outside appropriations |
| USCIS | ~20,000 | Unaffected | N/A | Fee-funded; does not rely on annual appropriations |
| Global Entry | — | Restored March 11 | — | Suspended Feb 22 – Mar 11. Now operational. TSA PreCheck unaffected throughout. |
Key Dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Feb 14, 2026 | DHS funding lapses at 12:01 a.m. (Day 1) |
| Feb 23, 2026 | Congress returns from recess. Senate fails 60-vote threshold. |
| Feb 24, 2026 | State of the Union. No DHS deal announced. |
| Feb 27, 2026 | Coast Guard civilians receive ~50% partial paycheck |
| Feb 28, 2026 | TSA workers receive partial paycheck (pre-shutdown hours only) |
| Mar 2, 2026 | Senate reconvenes; spends session on housing legislation, no DHS action |
| Mar 3, 2026 | Senate fails 60-vote threshold for the second time |
| Mar 5, 2026 | Senate fails 51-45 for the THIRD time. House passes H.R. 7744 (221-209). Trump fires Noem; names Mullin as DHS Secretary replacement. |
| Mar 6, 2026 | Day 21. 303 flight cancellations, 1,919 delays. No resolution in sight. |
| Mar 11, 2026 | Global Entry restored at 5:00 a.m. ET — ends 17-day suspension |
| Mar 12, 2026 | Fourth Senate cloture vote: 51-46. Murray partial-funding bill blocked by Britt. Britt 2-week CR blocked by Murray. House goes on recess. |
| Mar 13, 2026 | OMB deadline for agency RIF workforce reduction plans. Deadly tornadoes strike Midwest — FEMA tornado tracking contract lapsed, rescuers operate without tool. CBS News reports 305 TSA officer separations. |
| Mar 14, 2026 | Day 29. First FULL missed paycheck for ~61,000 TSA officers and 100,000+ DHS workers. Spring Break peak travel begins. |
| Mar 14-22, 2026 | Spring Break travel peak. TSA staffing at annual worst. Arrive 3+ hours early at JFK, Atlanta, Hobby, MCO, LAX. |
| Mar 15, 2026 | TSA callout rate hits 10.19% national peak. Houston Hobby hits 55% -- highest single-airport rate since shutdown began. |
| Mar 16, 2026 | 446 flight cancellations, 4,910 delays. 366+ TSA resignations confirmed. |
| Mar 18, 2026 | Mullin confirmation hearing scheduled (Senate Homeland Security Committee). Discharge petition filed in House. |
| ~Mar 21, 2026 | Day ~35 -- shutdown surpasses 2018-2019 record, becoming longest partial government shutdown in modern U.S. history. |
| ~Mar 21-24, 2026 | Earliest possible floor action on DHS funding |
| Mar 31, 2026 | Target date for Mullin to take office as DHS Secretary (contingent on confirmation) |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Senate Easter recess begins -- 60-day scenario risk if no deal reached before then. |
| Sept 30, 2026 | All non-DHS agencies funded through this date |
Will This Become the Longest Shutdown?
The House went on recess on March 12 and is now returning. The shutdown will surpass the 35-day 2018-2019 record by approximately March 21, making it the longest partial government shutdown in modern U.S. history.
| Shutdown | Duration | Scope | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-2019 (Trump) | 35 days | Full government | Previous partial-shutdown record |
| 2025 fall shutdown | 43 days | Full government | Full-government record |
| 2026 DHS partial | Day 31 as of March 17 | DHS only | Will exceed 35-day record by ~March 21 |
The 2025 shutdown was full government (all agencies). The current shutdown is DHS-only. But a 35+ day DHS partial shutdown is the longest targeted partial shutdown in the modern era. The resolution outlook: Floor action approximately March 24 at earliest. If the Senate enters its Easter recess on April 13 without a deal, the shutdown could extend to 60+ days.
TSA Workforce Crisis
The financial pressure on TSA is translating into a workforce emergency.
According to internal agency statistics, 366+ TSA officers have now separated from the agency since February 14 (through March 16 data reported by Click2Houston/Houston Chronicle). The nationwide callout rate peaked at 10.19% on March 15 -- the highest national daily rate since the shutdown began, more than five times the pre-shutdown baseline of 2%.
At high-traffic airports, the picture is far more severe:
| Airport | Officer Absence Rate | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby (Houston) | 55% | March 15 (peak) |
| JFK (New York) | 28.2% | March 15-16 weekend |
| EWR (Newark) | 13.83% | March 15-16 weekend |
| Hartsfield-Jackson (Atlanta) | 19% | March 14 data |
| MSY (New Orleans) | 14% | March 14 data |
| Pittsburgh | 13% | March 14 data |
Robert Echeverria, a 9-year TSA veteran at Salt Lake City airport and father of three, quit this week. "My family has to come first," he told CBS News. His story is one of more than 360.
The trajectory is alarming. After the 2025 shutdown, TSA lost nearly 1,100 officers who never returned. The current rate of 366+ separations in 31 days is tracking faster than that precedent -- and the shutdown is not over.
At Houston Hobby Airport, a TSA checkpoint was temporarily closed on March 13 due to staffing shortages, and by March 15 the callout rate had reached 55% -- with 3-4 hour security lines and passengers missing flights. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson saw 1+ hour wait times on March 15. Acting TSA Administrator Adam Stahl stated March 16: "Things will continue to worsen in terms of impact to wait times."
If you are traveling during Spring Break: Arrive at least 4-5 hours early at Houston Hobby. Arrive at least 3 hours early at JFK, Atlanta, Orlando (MCO), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and LAX.
Real-World Consequences Beyond Paychecks
The shutdown's effects have moved beyond personal finance into public safety.
FEMA tornado tracking contract lapse (CNN exclusive, March 13): FEMA held a roughly $200,000 annual contract for a tornado path-mapping tool that pinpoints where tornado damage corridors begin and end — the data that guides where search-and-rescue crews deploy first after a strike. FEMA staff flagged the contract renewal to DHS leadership in January. The contract was still in Noem's approval queue when she was fired on March 5. It was never renewed.
On March 13, deadly tornadoes struck the Midwest and Plains. State and local search-and-rescue crews deployed without the tool, operating on historical path estimates rather than real-time data. Rescuers described the conditions as "flying blind."
The contract was not directly canceled by the shutdown — it was an administrative failure during the shutdown period that went unresolved because the agency was operating in crisis mode. The cost of the lapsed contract: approximately $200,000. The tool is used in tornado-prone regions across the central and southern states.
Other ongoing consequences:
- TSA checkpoint closures: Temporary closures at Hobby Airport due to staffing shortages (March 13)
- CISA at 62% furloughed: Reduced cybersecurity operations during a period of active geopolitical conflict
- OPM retirement backlog at 65,000+ claims: DHS employees face compounded delays — furloughed HR staff cannot forward retirement paperwork to OPM
The 2025 Shutdown Was the Longest Full Government Shutdown
The October-November 2025 shutdown lasted 43 days, breaking the previous record of 35 days from 2018-2019.
| Impact | Number |
|---|---|
| Duration | 43 days |
| Employees furloughed | 670,000 |
| Excepted employees (worked without pay) | 730,000 |
| Economic cost | $11 billion (CBO) |
| SNAP recipients affected | 42 million |
Most employees received back pay within 7 days of the shutdown ending.
What Happens to Your Pay
Back pay is guaranteed by law.
The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 ensures all federal employees receive full retroactive pay after any shutdown.
| Your Status | During Shutdown | After Shutdown |
|---|---|---|
| Furloughed | No pay, cannot work | Full back pay |
| Excepted | Must work, no pay | Full back pay + overtime |
| Exempt | Normal pay continues | No change |
| Contractors | No pay | No guarantee |
Contractors Are Not Covered
Over 4 million workers are employed under federal contracts. They have no legal right to back pay.
If you're a contractor, build a larger emergency fund. Aim for 2-3 months of expenses. You may have options under Stop-Work clauses or the Contract Disputes Act, but these require legal guidance and are not automatic.
The Back Pay Question (Current Status)
GEFTA remains law. OPM's revised guidance no longer references it explicitly, instead stating that Congress will determine back pay. But in practice, every recent shutdown resolution has included back pay provisions.
The Shutdown Fairness Act (S.3001/S.3012) introduced in the 119th Congress would go further, requiring on-time pay during any future shutdown. It has not passed. It does not protect employees in this shutdown.
Risk level for this shutdown: Low-to-moderate. The law applies. Union pressure (AFGE, NTEU) is strong. The OPM language shift creates a non-zero uncertainty that did not exist before January 2026.
What Happens to Your Benefits
FEHB (Health Insurance)
Your health coverage continues uninterrupted.
| What Happens | Details |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Continues normally |
| Premiums | Accumulate as debt |
| After shutdown | Withheld from back pay |
| Duration | Up to 365 days in nonpay status |
OPM confirmed all FEHB plans have sufficient funds to pay claims during a shutdown.
TSP (Thrift Savings Plan)
TSP keeps running because it's not funded by annual appropriations.
| What Happens | Details |
|---|---|
| TSP.gov access | Continues normally |
| Contributions | Reduced proportionally |
| Agency match | Reduced proportionally |
| TSP loans | Stay in good standing |
| Withdrawals | Still available |
If you need emergency funds, a TSP loan is preferable to a withdrawal. Withdrawals trigger a 10% penalty if you're under 59.5.
FEGLI (Life Insurance)
Coverage continues. Premiums accumulate and are deducted from back pay.
What Happens to Your Leave
| Leave Type | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Scheduled leave | Automatically canceled |
| Use-or-lose | Eligible for restoration if properly scheduled |
| Leave accrual | Continues retroactively |
Restored Leave from Both Shutdowns
If you had use-or-lose leave restored from either the 2025 or January 2026 shutdown, check with your HR office on your restoration deadline. Restored leave must typically be used within a set timeframe or it is permanently forfeited.
If You're DHS: What to Do Right Now
You have now missed your first full paycheck. The time for preparation has passed — here is what to do today.
- File for unemployment compensation (UCFE) now. Your state unemployment office handles this. Your first missed paycheck is the trigger date. Do not delay — processing takes time and benefits are not retroactive.
- Contact your bank or credit union today. Navy Federal, USAA, PenFed, and USSFCU all have active 0% shutdown emergency loan programs. USAA offers up to $6,000 at 0% for 3 months. USSFCU offers a 90-day no-payment period. First Command offers a 0% Pay Advance Loan equal to your normal monthly direct deposit, up to 6 months, with no fees or interest.
- Request forbearance on mortgage, rent, and car payments immediately. Do not wait until you are already past due. Most lenders and landlords will work with federal employees during documented shutdowns, but you must ask first.
- Contact your federal student loan servicer for deferment or forbearance.
- Do NOT work if furloughed. You cannot check email, access systems, or perform any work.
- Avoid TSP withdrawals. The 10% early withdrawal penalty (under age 59.5) makes this expensive. Consider a TSP general purpose loan instead — no taxes, no penalties.
- Coast Guard members: CGMA offers interest-free loans up to $6,000. Army: Army Emergency Relief, up to $6,000. Air Force/Space Force: AFAS offers 0% loans for basic living expenses.
- Use our GS Pay Calculator to know your exact biweekly shortfall for budgeting and loan applications.
If this shutdown or the ongoing federal restructuring has you reconsidering your career options, the Severance Calculator and FERS Retirement Calculator can help you evaluate separation options.
Calculate Your Exact Shortfall
Use our free GS Pay Calculator to see your exact biweekly take-home. Multiply by the number of pay periods missed to calculate your total shortfall. This tells you exactly how much of your emergency fund you need to activate, and gives you a number to provide to lenders for shutdown loan applications.
Resources for Federal Employees
| Resource | What They Offer |
|---|---|
| FEEA Shutdown Grants | $150 micro-grants for essentials |
| OPM Furlough Guidance | Official guidance document |
| Shutdown Assistance Map | Searchable map of offers for feds |
| Coast Guard Mutual Assistance | Interest-free emergency loans up to $6,000 for Coast Guard members |
| AFGE Shutdown Resources | Union guidance and Shutdown Fairness Act updates |
| USSFCU Shutdown Relief | 90-day no-payment period on loans |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will federal employees get back pay after the DHS shutdown?
Yes. The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 remains law and guarantees full retroactive pay for all federal employees once the shutdown ends. Both furloughed workers and excepted employees (those working without pay) are covered. OPM's revised guidance no longer references GEFTA directly, but the law has not been repealed and back pay has been included in every recent shutdown resolution.
What happened to TSA paychecks on February 28?
TSA officers received a partial paycheck on February 28, covering only the hours worked before the shutdown began on February 14. The first completely missed paycheck arrived March 14, 2026. That date falls on a Saturday during peak Spring Break travel. TSA officers have now gone without a full paycheck for four weeks.
Why did 360+ TSA officers quit if they get back pay?
Back pay is guaranteed under GEFTA, but it does not help a family that cannot pay rent today. TSA officers average $45,000-$55,000 per year -- among the lowest-paid federal workers. Many do not have emergency savings adequate to cover more than two weeks of missed pay. The "back pay later" guarantee does not resolve a landlord who will not wait, a grocery bill that cannot be deferred, or a childcare bill due Friday. Once a TSA officer resigns, they forfeit the right to back pay for periods already worked without compensation. Robert Echeverria, a 9-year TSA veteran at Salt Lake City airport, quit this week citing his family's financial pressure. He is one of more than 360.
Is Global Entry working again?
Yes. Global Entry was restored at 5:00 a.m. ET on March 11, 2026, after being suspended since February 22. TSA PreCheck has been operational throughout the shutdown. If you had a scheduled Global Entry interview during the suspension, contact CBP to reschedule.
Will this shutdown beat the 2018-2019 record?
Almost certainly yes. The House went on recess on March 12 and will not return until approximately March 21. No legislation can advance until at least March 24 at the earliest. By that date, the shutdown will have surpassed 35 days — making it the longest partial government shutdown in modern U.S. history. The record for a full government shutdown remains the 43-day shutdown from fall 2025.
Is Mullin the DHS Secretary now?
No. Senator Markwayne Mullin was nominated on March 5 to replace Kristi Noem, with a stated target date of March 31. His confirmation hearing is scheduled for March 18 before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Rand Paul (R-KY), who has signaled a difficult hearing. Until confirmed, DHS is operating under acting leadership.
What is the Shutdown Fairness Act?
The Shutdown Fairness Act (S.3001 and S.3012, 119th Congress) would require the federal government to pay employees on time during any shutdown, not just retroactively after the fact. S.3012 failed a cloture vote 54-45 on November 7, 2025 and is effectively dead. S.3001 remains in committee with no scheduled action. AFGE continues to push for passage. Neither version applies to this shutdown.
I'm a Coast Guard member. Am I getting paid?
It depends on your status. Uniformed Coast Guard members are being paid via a prior-year spending law mechanism and are largely protected. Civilians received approximately 50% of their normal paycheck on February 27 and face further reductions if the shutdown continues. Approximately two-thirds of Coast Guard civilians are furloughed and receiving no pay. Contact CGMA for interest-free emergency loans up to $6,000.
My agency is not DHS. Does this shutdown affect my paycheck?
No. All other federal agencies are funded through September 30, 2026. Only DHS employees are directly affected by this shutdown.
Are ICE and CBP affected by the DHS shutdown?
Largely not. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 2025) provided ICE roughly $75 billion and CBP roughly $65 billion in reconciliation funding outside normal appropriations. However, approximately 5,600 CBP employees in excepted roles are still working without pay. Immigration enforcement continues largely uninterrupted.
Do federal contractors get back pay after a shutdown?
No. Federal contractors have no legal guarantee of back pay. You may have options under Stop-Work or Suspension of Work clauses, the Contract Disputes Act, or termination settlement proposals. These are not automatic and typically require legal guidance. Contractors should maintain a larger emergency fund, targeting 2-3 months of expenses.
Will there be longer TSA lines during Spring Break?
Yes. The shutdown has not been resolved and Spring Break travel (March 14-22) is underway with TSA staffing at its worst point ever. The nationwide callout rate peaked at 10.19% on March 15. Houston Hobby hit a 55% callout rate on March 15 with 3-4 hour security lines; arrive 4-5 hours early there. JFK reached 28.2% and EWR 13.83% on the March 15-16 weekend. Highest-risk airports: Houston Hobby (55% callout), JFK (28.2%), EWR (13.83%), Atlanta, Orlando (MCO), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and LAX. Arrive at least 3 hours early at JFK, Atlanta, MCO, FLL, and LAX; 4-5 hours early at Houston Hobby.
What happened with the Senate vote on March 12?
The Senate voted 51-46 on March 12, failing for the fourth consecutive time to reach the 60-vote cloture threshold needed to advance DHS funding. Senator Fetterman (D-PA) was again the only Democrat to side with Republicans. Sen. Murray proposed funding TSA, FEMA, CISA, and the Coast Guard separately while negotiations over ICE/CBP continued — Sen. Britt blocked it. Sen. Britt counter-proposed a 2-week CR — Sen. Murray blocked it. The House then went on recess. No votes are expected until approximately March 24 at the earliest.
Why did Trump fire Kristi Noem?
Trump announced Noem's removal on March 5. The immediate trigger was her Senate testimony claiming Trump personally approved a $220 million DHS advertising campaign, contradicting the White House. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was named as replacement, effective March 31, 2026, contingent on Senate confirmation. His hearing is scheduled for March 18.
Is the DHS shutdown resolved? I saw a headline saying it ended.
That headline likely refers to the January 2026 government-wide shutdown, which was resolved on February 3. The current DHS partial shutdown began February 14, 2026 and is still ongoing as of March 14 (Day 29). These are separate events.
Should I withdraw from my TSP to cover shutdown expenses?
No. TSP withdrawals before age 59.5 trigger a 10% early withdrawal penalty plus ordinary income tax on the full amount. A TSP general purpose loan is a better option — no taxes, no penalties, and TSP loans stay in good standing during a shutdown. Even better: contact your credit union first about 0% emergency shutdown loans before touching your TSP at all.
What is my retirement timeline if I'm trying to retire from DHS right now?
OPM's retirement backlog hit 65,237 claims in February, a 21% monthly jump. Digital applications take 34 days on average; paper applications take 95 days. The shutdown adds additional delay at the agency level because furloughed DHS HR staff cannot forward retirement paperwork to OPM. File digitally via OPM's ORA system to minimize delays.
OPM Retirement Processing During the Shutdown
If you are a DHS employee close to retirement or evaluating a VERA/VSIP offer, the shutdown adds processing delays on top of an already strained system.
| Metric | Value | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Total pending claims | 65,237 | February 2026 |
| Monthly increase | +21% | February vs January |
| Since October 2025 increase | +88.6% | Cumulative surge |
| Average processing time (digital) | 34 days | February 2026 |
| Average processing time (paper) | 95 days | February 2026 |
OPM's retirement-processing staff are funded through the retirement trust fund, not annual appropriations. They continue working through the shutdown. However, agency-level HR and payroll staff at DHS who prepare and submit retirement packages to OPM may be furloughed. Your application cannot move from DHS to OPM for processing until agency staff return.
Recommendation: File digitally via OPM's Online Retirement Application (ORA) system. Digital applications take 34 days on average versus 95 days for paper. This also reduces your exposure to the agency-level HR bottleneck.
The retirement surge is driven primarily by the Deferred Resignation Program and ongoing workforce reductions — 264,228 federal employees have departed since January 2025. The federal workforce has declined from 2.31 million to 2.04 million, a 7% annual decrease. Sustained high claim volume means OPM will remain under processing pressure through 2026.
Use the FERS Retirement Calculator to estimate your annuity before submitting paperwork. For buyout evaluations, see our VERA/VSIP Guide 2026.
What to Know
Three shutdowns in under six months. Federal employees should expect funding lapses to recur and plan finances accordingly.
Back pay is guaranteed under GEFTA. The question is whether you can cover expenses until it arrives. If you're a DHS employee, specifically TSA, FEMA, CISA, or a Coast Guard civilian, the financial cliff has now arrived. File for unemployment if furloughed, contact your bank or credit union about 0% shutdown loans today, and use the GS Pay Calculator to determine your exact shortfall for loan applications.
For employees outside DHS, this shutdown has no direct pay impact. That said, the frequency of lapses over the past six months makes it worth having 2-3 months of expenses covered and knowing your furlough designation before the next lapse, not during it.
Related Resources
- GS Pay Calculator: Calculate your exact biweekly take-home and shutdown shortfall
- Federal Leave Optimizer: Plan your use-or-lose leave during and after the shutdown
- FERS Retirement Calculator: Estimate your pension if evaluating early retirement
- Severance Pay Calculator: Compare options if facing RIF or separation
- VERA/VSIP Guide 2026: Should you take the buyout? Full eligibility and benefits analysis
- RIF Survival Guide 2026: Full guide to reduction-in-force protections and rights
- Federal Workforce Outlook 2026: Broader context on DOGE, RIF, and workforce trends
- FedShot AI Headshots: Updating your LinkedIn or USAJobs profile? Get professional headshots from a selfie in 60 seconds
Sources: OPM Furlough Guidance, Congress.gov GEFTA, TSP.gov, CBS News — TSA absences double, 300 officers quit, CBS News — Dad of 3 quit TSA, NPR — TSA workers miss a full paycheck, CNN — FEMA tornado tracking tool contract lapsed, The Hill — Senate fourth vote failure, Time — Global Entry restarted, CBS News — Global Entry restored, The Hill — Mullin confirmation hearing, Government Executive, Federal News Network, CBS News (Noem firing), FedSmith (OPM backlog), USSFCU Shutdown Relief
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