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Administration officials disclosed the start of government employee layoffs on the end of the week, following through on earlier warnings linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office posted on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official process for terminating staff.

While Vought provided no details on which agencies were affected, a treasury spokesperson stated that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a DHS representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a union representing federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Union leaders warned that the terminations would have “devastating effects” on public services used by millions of Americans and pledged to challenge the moves in the legal system.

This is shameful that the government has used the funding lapse as an pretext to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who deliver critical services to the public nationwide,” stated Everett Kelley, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

The AFL-CIO responded to the announcement, saying, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to reopen the government unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. Following repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

During a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, criticized opposition lawmakers for rejecting the Republican proposal, which passed in the House on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. Beginning shortly, military personnel, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions filed for a court injunction to prevent the government from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge directed the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any federal employees had been recalled to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown restricts the authority of the government to conduct terminations, citing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs took place on the same day that government employees got only a partial paycheck covering the final days of September but excluding the beginning of the current month, since appropriations expired at the beginning of the period.

A public service advocate, the head of the advocacy group, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

This is unjust to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government running,” Stier stated. The flight regulators, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that lawmakers and top administration officials are continuing to be paid amid the funding gap.