🔗 Share this article

Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee terminations on Friday, following through on prior threats in response to the continuing 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 posted on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the government’s process for letting employees go.

Although the official did not specify which agencies were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been distributed within that agency. Additionally, a DHS representative indicated that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Also, a labor organization for federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on services used by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the moves in court.

This is shameful that the government has used the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver critical services to communities nationwide,” said Everett Kelley, who leads the AFGE.

The largest labor federation in the US reacted to the news, saying, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to support a GOP-supported bill to reopen the government unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be ended before then.

At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, criticized Senate Democrats for not supporting the Republican bill, which was approved in the House on a largely partisan basis.

“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 stated. Beginning shortly, American service members, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the government from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official ordered the government to provide specifics on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any government staff had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the authority of the administration to carry out firings, citing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the same day that government employees received only a incomplete payment for the end of the previous month but not the beginning of the current month, since funding lapsed at the beginning of the period.

Max Stier, the head of the advocacy group, criticized the gridlock’s effect on federal employees.

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have failed to keep our federal operations open and operational,” the advocate said. The flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

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