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Administration officials disclosed the start of government employee terminations on the end of the week, following through on prior threats linked to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to extend into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office posted on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the government’s procedure for letting employees go.

While Vought did not specify which agencies were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that notices had been issued within that department. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson indicated that layoffs would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a labor organization representing federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be affected by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Court Actions

Labor representatives cautions that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on public services used by millions of Americans and pledged to challenge the actions in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who deliver critical services to the public nationwide,” stated a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US responded to the announcement, saying, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to support a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved soon.

During a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, criticized Senate Democrats for not supporting the Republican bill, which was approved in the House on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson said. “Starting next week, military personnel, who often live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, unions sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the administration to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any government staff had been recalled to carry out staff reductions.

A report argued that a government shutdown limits the authority of the government to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been started before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations occurred on the very day that government employees got only a partial paycheck covering the final days of September but not the beginning of the current month, since funding expired at the beginning of the month.

A public service advocate, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the gridlock’s effect on government workers.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our federal operations open and operational,” the advocate said. “Our air traffic controllers, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries during the shutdown.