The accounting nightmare of figuring out who gets paid and who doesn't in the chaos of a partial shutdown isn't worth the accounting costs, not to mention the morale problems and potential legal challenges are more than enough to ensure that everyone gets paid. There are lots of essential employees in each shutdown and the decisions on who is or is not essential are not completely planned in advance and is somewhat ad hoc. I helped administer the shutdowns a few time many years ago, and the instructions are often oral and record-keeping is non-existent given the last-minute nature ofthe decision to shut down.

If you have been around long enough to understand it, you have an unplanned day of leave. Tell the wife that you are "essential" and try to book a last-minute appointment.