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Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings in response to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is set to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Formal Statement and Initial Details

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

While Vought provided no details on which agencies were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a DHS spokesperson indicated that staff reductions would take place at the CISA. Moreover, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

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

This is shameful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities across the country,” stated Everett Kelley, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to vote for a GOP-supported bill to restore funding unless it includes provisions related to health policy. Following repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is unlikely to be resolved soon.

During a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the Republican bill, which was approved in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, American service members, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to block the government from implementing any reductions in force during the shutdown. Additionally, a court official directed the administration to disclose details on layoff plans, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been brought back to carry out layoffs.

A report contended that a funding lapse limits the authority of the government to conduct terminations, citing guidance that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated before the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs took place on the same day that government employees got only a partial paycheck covering the final days of September but excluding the beginning of the current month, since appropriations lapsed at the start of the month.

A public service advocate, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on government workers.

“It is wrong 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. “Our air traffic controllers, VA nurses, smoke jumpers 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 during the shutdown.