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Administration officials disclosed the start of government employee layoffs on the end of the week, making good on earlier warnings linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to extend into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Initial Details

The director of the White House budget office posted on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the official procedure for terminating staff.

While the official provided no details on which departments were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been distributed within that department. Furthermore, a DHS representative indicated that layoffs would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon by the public and pledged to challenge the moves in court.

This is shameful that the government has used the funding lapse as an excuse to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who provide critical services to the public nationwide,” said Everett Kelley, who leads the AFGE.

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have refused to support a Republican-backed bill to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have adjourned the Senate until the following week, indicating the deadlock is not expected to be resolved soon.

At a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, criticized opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican proposal, which was approved in the lower chamber 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 end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, unions filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the shutdown. Additionally, a federal judge directed the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any federal employees had been brought back to carry out staff reductions.

A report contended that a government shutdown limits the authority of the government to conduct terminations, citing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs occurred on the same day that federal workers received only a partial paycheck covering the final days of the previous month but not the start of the current month, since appropriations expired at the start of the month.

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

This is unjust to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our federal operations running,” Stier stated. The flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that lawmakers and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.