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The White House disclosed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to extend into its third consecutive 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 government’s process for letting employees go.

While Vought provided no details on which agencies were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that staff reductions would also occur at the CISA. Moreover, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives cautions that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon by the public and pledged to contest the actions in the legal system.

This is shameful that the government has used the funding lapse as an pretext to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who provide essential functions to communities across the country,” said a national union president, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have declined to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is not expected to be resolved soon.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, criticized Senate Democrats for not supporting the Republican proposal, which was approved in the House on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” Johnson stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions filed for a temporary restraining order to block the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the shutdown. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the government to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been recalled to execute staff reductions.

A report argued that a funding lapse limits the ability of the administration to conduct terminations, citing official advice that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been started prior to the funding expired.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the same day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck covering the end of September 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 advocacy group, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government open and operational,” Stier said. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid during the funding gap.