The longest government shutdown in U.S. history has officially ended, allowing federal employees to return to work and expect back pay in the coming days. Furloughed workers are eager to resume their duties, but face challenges such as overloaded email inboxes and uncertainty about their financial situation. The White House has mandated that employees report back as agencies begin to operationalize their services. Many federal employees, however, are apprehensive about the potential for future shutdowns and the impact on their finances, as they learn when their back pay will be disbursed. Agencies are working on a timeline to ensure workers receive their missed payments, with expected dates for various departments being communicated. As the government reopens, the immediate focus is on addressing the backlog of work that has accumulated over the last 43 days.