Executive Summary
- Furloughed CDC employees in Atlanta have been notified to be ready to return to work as early as Thursday.
- The potential return is contingent on the U.S. House passing a funding bill and President Trump signing it to end the government shutdown.
- Many federal workers have taken on side jobs to manage financial hardship during the extended furlough period.
- Under federal law, employees are guaranteed to receive back pay once the shutdown concludes.
Furloughed employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta have been instructed to prepare for a return to work, contingent on the expected end of the ongoing government shutdown. The notification came Wednesday afternoon as the U.S. House of Representatives prepared to vote on a measure to reopen the government, which President Donald Trump is anticipated to sign.
An affected CDC employee, who received the back-to-work notification via a text message from a supervisor, expressed a mix of relief and anxiety. “So happy to be able to go back, but so unsure and unprepared and surprised and nervous,” she stated, highlighting the uncertainty that has characterized the furlough period. The notice indicated she should report to work on Thursday if the shutdown officially ends.
During the shutdown, which has lasted over 40 days, many federal workers have faced significant financial strain. The employee noted that colleagues have resorted to taking on secondary employment to cover expenses. “I know a lot of people who got side gigs, who got extra jobs, who applied for jobs whether it was driving for Uber or doing DoorDash or working as a Nanny or walking dogs for neighbors,” she explained. “People were just really finding what they could to pay the bills.”
While the prospect of returning to work is welcome, questions about compensation remain a primary concern for many. The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act ensures that furloughed federal workers will receive back pay at the earliest possible date following the conclusion of a shutdown. “If the update gets to the president, and he approves it today, we are expected back to work the next day,” the employee added, underscoring the rapid nature of the potential recall.
