The United States government has officially ended its historic 43-day shutdown, but the process of returning to normal operations will require significant time and effort across federal agencies. While funding was restored with President Donald Trump's signature on Wednesday, the reboot process varies by department and could take days or even weeks to complete.
The Economic Toll and Immediate Challenges
The shutdown's economic impact has been substantial, with analysts estimating the cost to the economy at between $10 billion and $15 billion for each week the government remained closed. This financial strain compounds the operational challenges now facing federal workers returning to their posts.
Federal employees who were furloughed during the shutdown received directives from the White House budget office to return to work on Thursday. However, numerous administrative hurdles must be cleared before normal operations can resume. Payroll systems require significant updates to process weeks of back wages, while backlogs of grant disbursements, loan applications, and unanswered customer calls accumulated over the 43-day period need immediate attention.
Transportation and Payment Timelines
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated that the administration aims to begin lifting flight restrictions within a week of the government reopening. This timeline places the restoration of normal air travel operations just ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday week.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian supported this optimistic forecast, telling Bloomberg Television that Thanksgiving holiday travel should be "great." However, the reality for federal transportation workers involves complex payment processes.
According to an administration official, paychecks for federal employees will begin going out as soon as Saturday, with a goal to complete all back-payments by November 19. A 2019 law mandates that agencies pay workers their full salaries for the shutdown period "at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates."
Historical Context and Current Projections
The experience from previous shutdowns suggests the payment process could be lengthy. Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, noted that after the 2019 shutdown, it took air-traffic controllers approximately two to two-and-a-half months to receive all their back pay.
Secretary Duffy has committed to accelerating payments this time, promising controllers would receive 70% of their missed pay within 24 to 48 hours after reopening, with the remainder following about one week later.
Meanwhile, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) will return to normal payment cycles after weeks of uncertainty that forced states to delay and ration benefits. States indicate they need up to a week to update beneficiary files and load debit cards, with potential bottlenecks expected as all states attempt to replenish benefits simultaneously using only two major card vendors.
The shutdown also created administrative complexities regarding employee benefits. Furloughed workers couldn't use accrued vacation or sick time during the lapse but continued to earn more of it. The Office of Personnel Management confirms that furlough time counts as "pay status" for all purposes, meaning the government's long-term liability for unused leave actually increased during the shutdown.
