Federal workers say they are frustrated, scared and angry after the White House threatened to withhold their back pay once the government shutdown ends.

Why it matters: Many of these folks are living paycheck to paycheck and can't afford to simply not be paid. It's the latest blow to the country's largest workforce. • 750,000 federal employees are on furlough — that is, they've been told not work during the shutdown and aren't getting paid. Others are working without pay.

Where it stands: It's "chaos," says Imelda Avila-Thomas, an official with the federal worker union that represents employees at the Department of Labor where she works. • She tells Axios that that she's been getting blasted with texts from colleagues asking if this is lawful or if they should look for another job.

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