THE British government's decision not to suspend the assembly means that MLAs will continue to sit and receive their salaries.
Speaking before First Minister Peter Robinson's decision to stand aside yesterday, Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt had called for wages to be stopped.
He said he favoured a suspension of the assembly, rather than an adjournment, because the latter option would not affect members' salaries.
"There is nothing that will focus minds, in my experience, more than a dose of unemployment," he said.
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster yesterday, Mr Nesbitt rejected suggestions that he and his party colleagues should stop taking their own wages.
"That won't solve anything," he said. "What will bring a focus is if everybody's salary is suspended."
The Northern Ireland Office was declining to answer queries on the issue yesterday, choosing instead to focus on the secretary of state's efforts to keep the institutions alive.
Up until yesterday afternoon, adjourning the assembly was the favoured option of the DUP and Alliance.
However, the failure of the DUP's adjournment bid prompted the party to tender three of its ministers' resignations.
When Stormont was previously suspended in 2002 following the 'Spygate' affair, assembly members were paid two-thirds of their salaries.
Basic pay for an MLA is £48,000-a-year. However, there is additional payment for committee chairs and deputy chairs, members of the assembly commission and members of the speaker's office.
The first minister and deputy first minister are each paid £120,000-a-year, while executive ministers receive £86,000 and junior ministers between £60,000-£63,000.
