There’s still a lot of confusion on day seven of the government shutdown. Take the FAA, where it may seem obvious that some work is essential. Air traffic controllers have to be on the job so planes can take off and land safely. But there are other gray areas, as Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controller Association, describes.

Contractors are finding the federal government’s lapse in appropriations is depressing their revenues. A few have announced furloughs or layoffs of employees. The longer the shutdown drags on, the worse it is likely to get. For a view of how things are looking in the government services industry,Tom and Emily spoke with Stan Soloway, president of the Professional Services Council.

Thousands of civilian employees of the Defense Department will be back in the office this week. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is recalling the furloughed workers. Pentagon lawyers have determined that a law which guarantees the military will be paid during the shutdown also applies to their civilian colleagues and some contractors. Federal News Radio’s DoD reporter Jared Serbu has details.

Across the Defense Department, the IT community is trying to embrace a joint, integrated approach to technology. But with federal appropriations getting more scarce, the Air Force says attacking stovepipes in IT isn’t enough. Officials want to expand the idea to other mission areas. More from Federal News Radio’s DoD reporter, Jared Serbu.