🔗 Share this article

Administration officials confirmed the initiation of government employee terminations on Friday, making good on earlier warnings linked to the continuing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to extend into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

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

While Vought provided no details on which agencies were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Additionally, a DHS representative indicated that layoffs would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

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

This is shameful that the government has used the government shutdown as an pretext to wrongfully terminate 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 responded to the announcement, declaring, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to support a Republican-backed bill to reopen the government unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is unlikely to be resolved soon.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted opposition lawmakers for rejecting the GOP proposal, which was approved in the House on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. Beginning shortly, military personnel, who often live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, labor groups filed for a court injunction to prevent the government from carrying out any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge directed the government to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and if any government staff had been brought back to carry out layoffs.

A report argued that a government shutdown limits the ability of the administration to carry out firings, citing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations occurred on the very day that federal workers got only a incomplete payment for the end of the previous month but excluding the start of October, since appropriations lapsed at the start of the period.

Max Stier, the president of the advocacy group, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on government workers.

“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our leaders in Congress and the administration have failed to keep our federal operations open and operational,” Stier stated. The air traffic controllers, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

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