Some federal workers will continue to work with pay, particularly employees with the Veterans Health Administration and mail carriers, because the US Postal Service is an independent entity that generally relies on revenue from its products and services, not tax dollars.Large portions of several agencies are furloughed, meaning they are not working or being payed because their jobs are not considered “essential” to immediate government operations.All federal employees who are furloughed or required to work without pay during a government shutdown will receive back pay, under a law passed in 2019. Government contractors, however, are not guaranteed back pay for time lost during a government shutdown.How many people are affected?Hundreds of thousands of workers are impacted by the shutdown.According to official government data, the impact of furloughs varies widely across agencies. The EPA is hit hardest, with 89% of its staff furloughed, followed closely by the Department of Education at 87% and the Department of Commerce at 81%.