🔗 Share this article

The White House confirmed the initiation of government employee terminations on Friday, following through on prior threats in response to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is set to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

The director of the White House budget office posted on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” referring to the government’s procedure for terminating staff.

While Vought did not specify which departments were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that notices had been distributed within that agency. Additionally, a DHS representative noted that layoffs would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on services used by millions of Americans and pledged to challenge the moves in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the funding lapse as an pretext to illegally fire numerous employees who provide essential functions to the public across the country,” said Everett Kelley, who leads the AFGE.

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have refused to support a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is unlikely to be resolved before then.

At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted Senate Democrats for rejecting the GOP proposal, which was approved in the House on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker said. Beginning shortly, military personnel, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, unions sought a temporary restraining order to block the administration from implementing any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the government to provide specifics on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been brought back to carry out layoffs.

A report argued that a funding lapse limits the ability of the government to carry out firings, referencing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the funding expired.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the very day that federal workers got only a incomplete payment for the final days of September but not the beginning of October, since appropriations lapsed at the start of the period.

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

“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our government open and operational,” the advocate stated. The flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

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