🔗 Share this article

The White House disclosed the start of federal worker terminations on the end of the week, making good on prior threats linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to stretch into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

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

While Vought did not specify which departments were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that layoff warnings had been distributed within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that layoffs would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a labor organization for federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

Union leaders cautions that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on public services relied upon by millions of Americans and vowed to contest the actions in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an excuse to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who deliver essential functions to communities nationwide,” stated Everett Kelley, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until the following week, indicating the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” the speaker said. Beginning shortly, American service members, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, labor groups sought a court injunction to block the government from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official directed the government to disclose details on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any federal employees had been recalled to carry out staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown limits the authority of the administration to carry out firings, citing official advice that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs occurred on the same day that government employees received only a partial paycheck for the final days of the previous month but excluding the start of October, since appropriations lapsed at the start of the period.

A public service advocate, the head of the advocacy group, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our leaders in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our federal operations open and operational,” the advocate said. The flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid during the funding gap.