Furloughed federal workers aren't guaranteed compensation for their forced time off during the government shutdown, according to a draft White House memo described to Axios by three sources. Why it matters: If the White House acts on that legal analysis,

Republican leaders expressed hope that federal workers would receive back pay. Democrats blasted the Trump administration for trying to alter a 2019 law.

The White House is not guaranteeing compensation for hundreds of thousands of federal workers who are on forced time off during the government shutdown, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a White House memo.

The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, or GEFTA, guarantees back pay for employees furloughed or required to work unpaid during any “lapse in appropriations that begins on or after Dec. 22,” which marked the first day of the previous shutdown.

A new legal opinion from OMB contradicts the White House’s prior interpretation of a 2019 law guaranteeing back pay for furloughed employees after a shutdown.

News Anchor Victoria Sanchez broke down what a government shutdown is, how it impacts D.C. residents and visitors and what it means for federal workers.