🔗 Share this article

The White House disclosed 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 stretch into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

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

While Vought did not specify which agencies were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that notices had been distributed within that department. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson indicated that layoffs would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a union representing federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be affected 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 challenge the moves in the legal system.

This is shameful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an pretext to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who provide essential functions to the public across the country,” stated Everett Kelley, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US responded to the news, saying, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a Republican-backed bill to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, indicating the deadlock is not expected to be resolved before then.

At a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for rejecting the Republican bill, which was approved in the House on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” Johnson said. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions filed for a temporary restraining order to block the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the shutdown. Moreover, a federal judge directed the administration to disclose details on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any government staff had been recalled to carry out layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown restricts the authority of the government to carry out firings, citing official advice that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

These terminations took place on the very day that government employees got only a partial paycheck for the end of September but not the beginning of the current month, since appropriations lapsed at the beginning of the month.

A public service advocate, the president of the advocacy group, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on government workers.

This is unjust to make federal employees bear the burden because our leaders in Congress and the White House have failed to keep our government open and operational,” the advocate said. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

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