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The White House disclosed the start of federal worker terminations on the end of the week, following through on prior threats in response to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to extend into its third consecutive week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office wrote on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official process for letting employees go.

Although Vought provided no details on which departments were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that layoff warnings had been distributed within that agency. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson indicated that layoffs would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a labor organization for federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

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

This is shameful that the government has used the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who provide critical services to communities nationwide,” stated a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have refused to support a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, indicating the standoff is not expected to be resolved soon.

At a press conference, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the GOP proposal, which was approved 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 stated. Beginning shortly, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the government from implementing any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official directed the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and if any federal employees had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

A report contended that a government shutdown limits the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs took place on the very day that government employees received only a incomplete payment covering the end of the previous month but not the beginning of October, since funding expired at the beginning of the month.

Max Stier, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the political stalemate’s effect on federal employees.

This is unjust to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate said. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that lawmakers and top administration officials are still receiving salaries during the funding gap.