🔗 Share this article

The White House disclosed the start of government employee terminations on the end of the week, following through on earlier warnings in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

Russell Vought wrote on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the government’s process for terminating staff.

Although Vought provided no details on which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson stated that notices had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a DHS representative noted that staff reductions would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on services relied upon by the public and vowed to challenge the actions in court.

This is shameful that the administration has exploited the government shutdown as an pretext to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

The AFL-CIO responded to the announcement, saying, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

During a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, criticized Senate Democrats for rejecting the Republican 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 Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker said. Beginning shortly, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups filed for a court injunction to block the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the shutdown. Moreover, a court official directed the administration to disclose details on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any government staff had been recalled to execute staff reductions.

An analysis contended that a funding lapse restricts the authority of the government to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the funding expired.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs occurred on the very day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment for the end of the previous month but excluding the start of the current month, since funding expired at the beginning of the period.

A public service advocate, the head of the advocacy group, criticized the political stalemate’s effect on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our leaders in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government open and operational,” Stier said. The flight regulators, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid amid the funding gap.