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Administration officials confirmed the initiation of federal worker layoffs on the end of the week, making good on prior threats linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to stretch into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office wrote on a public platform that “reductions in force have begun,” indicating the official procedure for letting employees go.

While the official did not specify which agencies were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been distributed within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that staff reductions would also occur at the CISA. Also, a union for federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be affected by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Court Actions

Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on public services used by the public and pledged to challenge the actions in court.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver critical services to the public across the country,” said a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to vote for a GOP-supported bill to restore funding unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is not expected to be ended before then.

During a press conference, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, 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 government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, military personnel, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups filed for a court injunction to prevent the government from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official directed the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

An analysis contended that a government shutdown restricts the ability of the administration to carry out firings, referencing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the very day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck covering the final days of the previous month but excluding the start of October, since appropriations expired at the beginning of the month.

A public service advocate, the president of the advocacy group, condemned the gridlock’s impact on federal employees.

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government open and operational,” Stier said. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and top administration officials are still receiving salaries during the funding gap.