[ClearCase_guy]

The "essential" people in government will work, and will get paid.
The "non-essential" people will be sent home with no pay (but this will ALWAYS turn into a paid vacation as their pay will be returned to them after they spend their time at home doing nothing).

The whole thing is a joke. Like everything else.

[rellic]

“The “essential” people in government will work, and will get paid.”

I don’t think, so, unless Congress approves it, they have to wait till the shutdown ends. So they have to work without pay. Difference for this shut down is the law was changed in which everybody will get paid at the end of the shutdown. In the past furloughed workers weren’t guaranteed pay, unless Congress specifically acted.