🔗 Share this article

The White House disclosed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, making good on prior threats linked to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Formal Statement and Initial Details

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

Although the official provided no details on which agencies were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that notices had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Moreover, a union for federal workers announced that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

Union leaders warned that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon by millions of Americans and pledged to challenge the actions in the legal system.

This is shameful that the government has exploited the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities across the country,” stated a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US responded to the news, saying, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have declined to support a Republican-backed bill to reopen the government unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be ended before then.

At a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for rejecting the GOP bill, which was approved in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

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

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the government from carrying out any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official ordered the government to disclose details on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any government staff had been recalled to carry out layoffs.

A report argued that a government shutdown restricts the ability of the government to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

These terminations occurred on the very day that government employees got only a incomplete payment covering the end of the previous month but excluding the beginning of the current month, since funding expired at the beginning of the period.

Max Stier, the head of the advocacy group, criticized the gridlock’s effect on government workers.

“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in Congress and the administration have failed to keep our government open and operational,” the advocate said. The air traffic controllers, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

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