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Administration officials disclosed the start of government employee layoffs on the end of the week, making good on prior threats in response to the continuing federal funding lapse, which is set to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

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

Although the official did not specify which agencies were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson indicated that staff reductions would also occur at the CISA. Also, a union for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be affected by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

Union leaders warned that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on services used by the public and vowed to challenge the moves in court.

This is shameful that the government has used the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to the public across the country,” said Everett Kelley, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

The AFL-CIO reacted to the news, declaring, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be ended before then.

At a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican bill, which passed in the House on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, unions sought a court injunction to block the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Additionally, a court official ordered the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any government staff had been recalled to carry out staff reductions.

A report argued that a government shutdown restricts the ability of the administration to carry out firings, citing guidance that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

These terminations took place on the same day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck covering the final days of September but excluding the start of the current month, since appropriations lapsed at the beginning of the month.

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

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have failed to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate stated. The air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

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