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The White House confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, making good on earlier warnings in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

Russell Vought wrote on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the government’s procedure for terminating staff.

Although the official did not specify which agencies were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a DHS representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a union for federal workers confirmed that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on public services used by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the actions in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, representing the AFGE.

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have refused to support a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. Following repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have adjourned the Senate until the following week, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be ended before then.

During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” the speaker stated. Beginning shortly, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge directed the administration to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if 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 guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the same day that government employees received only a incomplete payment for the final days of September but not the start of October, since appropriations lapsed at the start of the period.

A public service advocate, the president of the advocacy group, criticized the political stalemate’s effect on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our leaders in the legislature and the White House have failed to keep our federal operations open and operational,” the advocate stated. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that lawmakers and top administration officials are still receiving salaries during the shutdown.