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Administration officials confirmed the initiation of federal worker layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings in response to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

The director of the White House budget office wrote on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official procedure for terminating staff.

While Vought provided no details on which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a DHS representative indicated that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

Labor representatives cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on public services relied upon by the public and pledged to challenge the actions in court.

This is shameful that the government has exploited the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire numerous employees who provide essential functions to communities nationwide,” stated Everett Kelley, who leads the AFGE.

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

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to vote for a GOP-supported bill to reopen the government unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. After repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until the following week, indicating the standoff is unlikely to be ended before then.

At a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP bill, 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 do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson stated. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

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

An analysis argued that a government shutdown limits the authority of the government to carry out firings, citing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the same day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment covering the final days of September but excluding the beginning of the current month, since appropriations expired at the beginning of the month.

Max Stier, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our leaders in Congress and the administration have failed to keep our federal operations running,” Stier said. The flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid amid the shutdown.