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Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on the end of the week, making good on earlier warnings linked to the continuing federal funding lapse, which is set to stretch into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

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

While the official provided no details on which departments were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative indicated that staff reductions would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a union representing federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

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

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an pretext to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who deliver critical services to communities across the country,” said a national union president, who leads the AFGE.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to support a GOP-supported bill to reopen the government unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. 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 ended before then.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted opposition lawmakers for rejecting the GOP bill, which was approved in the House on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” Johnson stated. Beginning shortly, military personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions filed for a temporary restraining order to block the administration from carrying out any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge directed the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any government staff had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the ability of the administration to carry out firings, referencing official advice that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs occurred on the very day that government employees received only a incomplete payment covering the end of September but excluding the start of October, since funding lapsed at the start of the period.

Max Stier, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the gridlock’s effect on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our federal operations running,” Stier stated. The air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries amid the funding gap.