Government Shutdown Back Pay Calculator
Daily rate uses the standard federal formula (annual salary ÷ 2,087 hours × 8-hour day), per OPM's 2087-hour divisor guidance. This applies the same whether you were furloughed (not working) or "excepted" (required to work without pay) — GEFTA guarantees back pay to both groups once funding resumes.
When does it actually arrive? The law requires back pay "as soon as possible" after a lapse ends, but real timelines have varied. In the 2026 DHS shutdown (began February 14, 2026), the first back pay installment reached employees roughly 6 weeks later via an executive order reprogramming funds, with the remaining back pay for that period following about 2 weeks after that. Treat "a few weeks to about two months" as a realistic historical range, not a guarantee — actual timing depends on your specific agency's payroll processing once appropriations resume.
Free calculator estimating back pay owed to furloughed or excepted federal employees under GEFTA (2019) — a guaranteed legal entitlement, not a speculative benefit. Uses the standard OPM 2087-hour pay formula, no payroll data required.
How it works
- Enter your annual salary and the number of business days you were furloughed or worked excepted (without pay)
- See your daily rate of pay (OPM's standard 2087-hour divisor formula) and your total estimated back pay owed
- See real historical context on how long back pay has actually taken to arrive, based on the 2026 DHS shutdown
Frequently asked questions
Am I guaranteed to get back pay after a shutdown?
Yes. The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFTA) requires federal employees affected by a lapse in appropriations — both furloughed employees and "excepted" employees required to work without pay — to receive retroactive pay for the full period, at the earliest date possible after the lapse ends. This is a legal entitlement, not a discretionary decision.
Why doesn't this use the official OPM Back Pay Calculator?
OPM's own Back Pay Calculator is built for HR and payroll administrators handling formal back-pay settlements — it asks for pay-period-by-pay-period gross pay data most individual employees don't have on hand. This tool gives a quick personal estimate from just your salary and furlough length instead.
How is my daily rate of pay calculated?
Using OPM's standard formula: your annual salary divided by 2,087 hours (the federal government's official annual-hours divisor) gives your hourly rate, multiplied by an 8-hour day. This is the same method OPM uses to compute federal hourly and daily pay rates generally.
How long does back pay actually take to arrive?
The law requires payment "as soon as possible," but real timelines vary by agency. In the 2026 DHS shutdown (started February 14, 2026), the first back pay installment reached employees about 6 weeks later, with the remainder following roughly 2 weeks after that — a useful historical reference, not a guarantee for every shutdown.
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From the blog
Update history
- 2026-09-22 Launched: Government Shutdown Back Pay calculator using OPM's 2087-hour daily-rate formula and real 2026 DHS shutdown timeline context, framed around GEFTA's guaranteed legal entitlement rather than a speculative benefit estimate. Entirely client-side.