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Administration officials disclosed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on prior threats in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to extend into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Initial Details

The director of the White House budget office posted on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the government’s process for terminating staff.

While the official did not specify which agencies were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that notices had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a labor organization representing federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

Union leaders cautions that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on public services used by millions of Americans and vowed to contest the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an excuse to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who deliver essential functions to the public nationwide,” said Everett Kelley, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US reacted to the announcement, declaring, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to reopen the government unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have adjourned the Senate until the following week, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be ended before then.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP proposal, which passed in the House on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and reopen the government,” Johnson said. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, unions filed for a court injunction to prevent the government from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any federal employees had been brought back to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown restricts the ability of the government to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the same day that federal workers received only a partial paycheck for the end of September but excluding the start of October, since funding lapsed at the beginning of the period.

Max Stier, the head of the advocacy group, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on government workers.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our leaders in the legislature and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government running,” the advocate stated. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.