The federal government shutdown has created a stark division among those who serve the country. More than 1 million federal workers will go unpaid as Democrats and Republicans argue over funding, while members of Congress continue collecting their salaries as mandated by the Constitution. Many federal employees missed their first full paychecks on Friday, with others facing losses early this week depending on their agency.

The disparity highlights how shutdowns fall unevenly on those who work for the federal government. President Donald Trump has taken steps to shield certain employees and military personnel from financial pain, at least temporarily, while threatening that hundreds of thousands of other staffers may never receive the back pay guaranteed under a 2019 law that he signed.

Senate Democrats blocked a Republican led bill Thursday that would have paid workers deemed essential during the shutdown. Many Democrats pushed for legislation that also compensates furloughed federal employees, though Republicans rejected their alternatives. Some lawmakers from both parties have expressed optimism about a potential bipartisan compromise.

When missing one paycheck means disaster

For federal workers living paycheck to paycheck, missing even one payment can prove financially devastating. Scores of federal employees have contacted CNN, describing the economic toll on their families, including risks of losing homes or cars and difficulty providing basic necessities.

The financial strain extends beyond statistics. Real families face real consequences while political battles continue in Washington.

Protected by the Constitution

Lawmakers receive their paychecks during the shutdown, as directed by the Constitution, though some have pledged to refuse their pay or donate the money. Supreme Court justices and federal judges also continue receiving compensation thanks to constitutional protections. Political appointees confirmed by the Senate, along with certain other appointees, remain on the payroll.

Roughly 830,000 federal workers continue being paid during the impasse, according to a Bipartisan Policy Center review of shutdown contingency plans filed by agencies. Their compensation doesn’t rely on annual appropriations from Congress. Instead, they receive payment through other spending packages, such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act or the Inflation Reduction Act, through fees or through other resources.

Military saved at the last moment

Days before roughly 2 million active duty and reserve military members were set to miss their first paychecks, the Trump administration announced it would use about $8 billion in Pentagon research and development funds to cover the Oct. 15 payroll. However, insufficient money remains for the next distribution at the end of the month.

The Trump administration also moved to pay Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents, according to Kash Patel, the agency’s director. Additionally, 70,000 law enforcement personnel in the Department of Homeland Security, including those in Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and other divisions will receive their paychecks, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is temporarily recalling roughly 3,000 furloughed employees amid open enrollment for Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, starting Monday. They will be paid for the time they work.

The unpaid majority

Roughly 730,000 federal employees are working without pay, while another 670,000 have been furloughed, according to the latest estimate from the Bipartisan Policy Center. However, agencies have made changes as the shutdown continues. The Internal Revenue Service originally planned to use the Inflation Reduction Act to keep paying all of its roughly 74,300 employees but a week later decided to furlough nearly half its workforce.

Senate staffers learned last week they will not receive their Oct. 20 paychecks and won’t be paid for the remainder of the shutdown. The judicial branch announced it has run out of funding to sustain full operations. Essential staff will stay on the job working without pay, while other court employees will be furloughed.

Federal workers typically received back pay when impasses ended in the past, but Congress made it official in 2019. However, the White House budget office is considering a new interpretation of that law, arguing it doesn’t cover furloughed employees.

Contractors bear the heaviest burden

Many federal contractors, including those who handle security, clean offices and staff cafes in federal buildings, are also laid off during shutdowns. Unlike federal workers, they have no guarantee of being made whole at the end of the impasse. These workers operate in a legal gray area where even bipartisan sympathy rarely translates into compensation.

The shutdown continues with no clear end in sight, leaving more than a million workers and their families in financial limbo while political negotiations drag on.