Federal Courts Begin Furloughs as Shutdown Drains Judiciary Budget

Conrad indicated the Administrative Office will continue updating judiciary personnel on appropriations status as developments occur. Courts have been instructed to monitor JNet, the judiciary’s internal communication platform, for operational guidance.

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act guarantees back pay but provides no timeline for when payments will occur, creating immediate financial hardship for furloughed employees. Historically, back pay has been disbursed within days of appropriations enactment, though processing thousands of payroll adjustments across the federal judiciary could take additional time.