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Administration officials disclosed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, making good on prior threats in response to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to extend 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,” referring to the official procedure for letting employees go.

While Vought provided no details on which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been distributed within that department. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson noted that staff reductions would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a union representing federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives warned that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon by the public and pledged to contest the actions in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the government has exploited the funding lapse as an excuse to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who provide critical services to the public across the country,” said Everett Kelley, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to support a Republican-backed bill to restore funding unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. After repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until the following week, indicating the deadlock is not expected to be ended before then.

During a press conference, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, criticized opposition lawmakers for rejecting the Republican bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, unions filed for a court injunction to prevent the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge ordered the government to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been recalled to execute staff reductions.

A report argued that a government shutdown limits the ability of the government to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the very day that government employees received only a incomplete payment for the end of September but not the beginning of October, since appropriations expired at the beginning of the period.

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

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our leaders in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate stated. The air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.