🔗 Share this article

Administration officials confirmed the initiation of federal worker terminations on Friday, making good on prior threats in response to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to extend into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Initial Details

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

While Vought provided no details on which agencies were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been distributed within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that staff reductions would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a union for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Department of Education would be affected by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

Labor representatives cautions that the terminations would have “devastating effects” on public services relied upon by millions of Americans and pledged to challenge the actions in court.

This is shameful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who provide essential functions to communities nationwide,” said Everett Kelley, representing the AFGE.

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

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to restore funding unless it includes provisions related to health policy. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is unlikely to be resolved before then.

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

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, American service members, 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 administration from implementing any layoffs during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge ordered the administration to provide specifics on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been recalled to carry out layoffs.

A report contended that a government shutdown restricts the ability of the government to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the same day that government employees got only a partial paycheck covering the end of the previous month 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 effect on government workers.

“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our leaders in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government running,” the advocate said. “Our flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

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