🔗 Share this article

Administration officials disclosed the start of federal worker terminations on Friday, following through on earlier warnings linked to the continuing 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 posted on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the government’s procedure for letting employees go.

While Vought did not specify which departments were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security representative indicated 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 impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

Union leaders cautions that the terminations would have “devastating effects” on public services relied upon by the public and pledged to contest the moves in court.

This is shameful that the administration has exploited the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver critical services to the public nationwide,” stated a national union president, representing the AFGE.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to support a GOP-supported bill 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 next Tuesday, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be ended before then.

During a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, criticized Senate Democrats for rejecting the GOP proposal, which passed in the House on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and reopen the government,” the speaker stated. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, unions filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge directed the government to provide specifics on termination strategies, impacted departments, and if any federal employees had been recalled to carry out staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the ability of the administration to carry out firings, citing guidance that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the same day that government employees got only a incomplete payment for the final days of the previous month but excluding the start of the current month, since appropriations expired at the start of the month.

A public service advocate, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized 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,” Stier stated. The flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that members of Congress and top administration officials are continuing to be paid amid the funding gap.