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Administration officials disclosed the start of federal worker layoffs on Friday, following through on prior threats linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is now poised to extend into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

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

While the official did not specify which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that notices had been distributed within that department. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that layoffs would take place at the CISA. Also, a union for federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives cautions that the terminations would have “devastating effects” on services used by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has exploited the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to communities across the country,” said a national union president, representing the AFGE.

The AFL-CIO responded to the news, declaring, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to reopen the government unless it includes provisions related to health policy. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, indicating the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP bill, which passed in the House on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats 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, labor groups filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the government from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official directed the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

A report argued that a funding lapse restricts the ability of the government to conduct terminations, citing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations occurred on the very day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck covering the final days of the previous month but excluding the beginning of the current month, since funding lapsed at the start of the period.

Max Stier, the president of the advocacy group, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our leaders in the legislature and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government running,” Stier stated. “Our air traffic controllers, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and food inspectors 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.