S 3005119th CongressIn Committee

Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act

Introduced: Oct 14, 2025

Sponsor: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] (R-Iowa)

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act would require executive branch agencies to report detailed information about furloughed employees during any lapse in appropriations. After a covered period ends, the agency must send a report to Congress and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) with counts of employees (including contractors), salary data, and which employees were furloughed versus not furloughed. The data must be provided in unclassified form (with a possible classified annex) and publicly posted by congressional committees and by OPM. The aim is to increase transparency around how furloughs are carried out and how much salary payroll is affected during funding gaps.

Key Points

1Definitions establish who is covered: a “covered employee” is someone furloughed during a lapse in appropriations (the “covered period”) at an executive agency; “executive agency” follows the standard federal definition; “Director” means the Director of OPM; “appropriate congressional committees” includes the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the House Oversight and Reform Committee, and any other committee with jurisdiction.
2Reporting requirement: within 30 days after a covered period ends, the agency’s Under Secretary (or equivalent) must electronically submit to the appropriate congressional committees and to the Director of OPM a report detailing:
3- total number of employees (including contract employees) as of the day before the covered period began;
4- total amount spent on salaries for the previous fiscal year (the fiscal year prior to the one in which the covered period began);
5- total number of employees who were covered employees during the period;
6- the sum of annual basic pay for all covered employees;
7- total number of employees who were not covered employees during the period; and
8- the sum of annual basic pay for those not covered.
9Classification and publication: reports must be submitted in unclassified form (but may include a classified annex); congressional committees must publish the reports on their websites within 30 days of receipt.
10OPM consolidation and public release: within 60 days after the end of a covered period, the Director of OPM must consolidate all agency reports for that period into one report and publish it on the OPM website.
11Purpose and scope: the bill is titled the “Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act,” signaling its focus on furloughed workers during funding gaps and increasing transparency for Congress and the public.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Federal employees who are furloughed during budget lapses (and their contractors) at executive agencies.- The executive agencies themselves, which would incur reporting obligations and data collection efforts.- The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which would receive, consolidate, and publish data.Secondary group/area affected- Congress, particularly the named committees, which would gain standardized data for oversight and analysis.- The public, via published committee and OPM reports.Additional impacts- Administrative burden and data collection costs for agencies to compile the specified figures.- Enhanced transparency around furlough practices and compensation during funding gaps, which could influence policy and oversight discussions.- Possible privacy considerations, though data would be published in unclassified form (with potential classified annex) and focus on aggregate counts and totals rather than individual employee information.

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