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Administration officials confirmed the start of federal worker terminations on Friday, following through on prior threats in response to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is now poised to extend into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office wrote on social media that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the official process for terminating staff.

Although Vought provided no details on which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been issued within that department. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson indicated that staff reductions would take place at the CISA. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that employees at the Department of Education would be affected by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives cautions that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on public services used by the public and pledged to contest the actions in court.

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

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to reopen the government unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until the following week, indicating the standoff is not expected to be ended before then.

At a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, criticized Senate Democrats for rejecting the Republican proposal, which passed in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson said. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions sought a court injunction to block the government from carrying out any reductions in force during the funding gap. Additionally, a court official ordered the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been brought back to carry out staff reductions.

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

Impact on Workers

These terminations occurred on the same day that government employees got only a partial paycheck covering the final days of the previous month but not the start of October, since funding expired at the start of the month.

A public service advocate, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on government workers.

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our leaders in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate said. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.