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Administration officials confirmed the initiation of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to stretch into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

Russell Vought posted on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official process for terminating staff.

While Vought provided no details on which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that notices had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the CISA. Also, a labor organization for federal workers announced that employees at the Education Department would be affected by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

Labor representatives warned that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon by millions of Americans and vowed to challenge the moves in court.

This is shameful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an excuse to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to communities nationwide,” stated a national union president, representing the AFGE.

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

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to support 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 adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, indicating the standoff is not expected to be ended before then.

At a press conference, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, criticized opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, military personnel, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions filed for a court injunction to prevent the government from implementing any layoffs during the shutdown. Moreover, a federal judge directed the government to provide specifics on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any federal employees had been brought back to carry out staff reductions.

A report contended that a government shutdown restricts the authority of the government to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been started before the funding expired.

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 not the beginning of October, since appropriations lapsed at the beginning of the period.

A public service advocate, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the gridlock’s impact on federal employees.

This is unjust to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the White House have failed to keep our federal operations open and operational,” the advocate said. The air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

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