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Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, making good on prior threats linked to the ongoing 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 social media that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the official process for terminating staff.

Although Vought provided no details on which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a DHS representative indicated that layoffs would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

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

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who provide essential functions to communities across the country,” stated a national union president, who leads the AFGE.

The largest labor federation in the US responded to the announcement, saying, “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 reopen the government unless it contains provisions related to health policy. Following repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the standoff is not expected to be resolved soon.

During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, criticized opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” the speaker said. Beginning shortly, military personnel, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, unions sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from implementing any layoffs during the shutdown. Additionally, a court official ordered the administration to provide specifics on termination strategies, affected agencies, and if any federal employees had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, citing guidance that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

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

Max Stier, the president of the advocacy group, criticized the gridlock’s effect on government workers.

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have failed to keep our government running,” the advocate said. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries during the shutdown.