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Administration officials disclosed the start of federal worker layoffs on the end of the week, following through on prior threats in response to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office wrote on social media that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the official procedure for terminating staff.

Although the official provided no details on which departments were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson noted that layoffs would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on public services used by millions of Americans and vowed to challenge the actions in the legal system.

This is shameful that the government has exploited the funding lapse as an pretext to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who deliver critical services to communities across the country,” said Everett Kelley, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US reacted to the announcement, declaring, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to restore funding unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. After repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the standoff is unlikely to be resolved soon.

At a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP proposal, which passed in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. Beginning shortly, military personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from implementing any layoffs during the shutdown. Additionally, a court official directed the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and if any government staff had been brought back to carry out layoffs.

An analysis contended that a funding lapse limits the ability of the government to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the very day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment covering the end of September but not the beginning of the current month, since funding expired at the beginning of the period.

Max Stier, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government running,” the advocate stated. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries during the shutdown.