German officials will ensure local base workers are paid on time during the U.S. government shutdown, the Finance Ministry said Oct. 22, 2025. (CCO)

Germany will front the salaries of nearly 12,000 local national employees at U.S. military bases if the American government shutdown delays October paychecks, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.

The government is preparing emergency funding to ensure workers are paid on time. In previous shutdowns, German staff employed by the U.S. federal government were paid as scheduled, in line with German labor law and NATO’s status of forces agreement, according to German labor union ver.di.

“What is new is that the current U.S. administration is apparently unwilling to comply with German laws,” ver.di said in a statement Tuesday.

The Finance Ministry said Germany expects to be reimbursed by the U.S. government once it reopens.