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Administration officials disclosed the initiation of federal worker layoffs on the end of the week, following through on prior threats linked to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is set to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

The director of the White House budget office posted on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” referring to the official procedure for terminating staff.

While the official did not specify which departments were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that notices had been distributed within that department. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson indicated that staff reductions would take place at the CISA. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on services used by the public and vowed to contest the moves in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the government has exploited the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire numerous employees who deliver essential functions to the public across the country,” said a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to vote for a Republican-backed bill to reopen the government unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved soon.

At a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican proposal, which was approved in the House on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” Johnson said. “Starting next week, military personnel, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, unions filed for a court injunction to block the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge ordered the government to disclose details on termination strategies, impacted departments, and if any government staff had been brought back to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown limits the ability of the government to carry out firings, referencing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs took place on the very day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck covering the end of the previous month but excluding the beginning of the current month, since appropriations lapsed 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 federal employees.

This is unjust to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government running,” the advocate said. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that members of Congress and top administration officials are continuing to be paid during the shutdown.