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Administration officials confirmed the start of federal worker terminations on Friday, making good on earlier warnings in response to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is set to extend into its third consecutive week.

Formal Statement and Initial Details

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

Although Vought did not specify which departments were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that notices had been distributed within that agency. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a labor organization representing federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be affected by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

Union leaders warned that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon by the public and vowed to contest the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the government has exploited the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who provide essential functions to communities nationwide,” said a national union president, representing the AFGE.

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have declined to support a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved soon.

During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, criticized opposition lawmakers for rejecting the Republican proposal, which was approved in the House on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” Johnson said. “Starting next week, military personnel, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official directed the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any government staff had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown restricts the authority of the government to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the same day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment covering the final days of September but excluding the start of October, since funding expired at the start of the period.

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

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government running,” the advocate stated. “Our air traffic controllers, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid during the shutdown.