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The White House disclosed the initiation of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to extend into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

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

While Vought did not specify which agencies were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson indicated that staff reductions would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a union representing federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon 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 excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide essential functions to communities across the country,” stated Everett Kelley, representing the AFGE.

The AFL-CIO reacted to the news, declaring, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have refused to vote for a GOP-supported 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, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved before then.

During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the GOP proposal, which was approved in the House on a near party-line vote.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson stated. “Starting next week, American service members, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge directed the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and whether any federal employees had been brought back to carry out layoffs.

An analysis contended that a government shutdown limits the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, citing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the very day that government employees got only a partial paycheck for the end of September but not the start of October, since funding lapsed at the start of the month.

Max Stier, the head of the advocacy group, criticized the gridlock’s impact on federal employees.

This is unjust to make federal employees suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our federal operations open and operational,” the advocate said. “Our flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

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