🔗 Share this article

Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings in response to the continuing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

Russell Vought posted on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official process for terminating staff.

Although the official did not specify which departments were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a union for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

Union leaders warned that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon by millions of Americans and vowed to challenge the moves in court.

This is shameful that the government has used the government shutdown as an pretext to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who deliver critical services to communities across the country,” said Everett Kelley, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have refused to vote for a Republican-backed bill to reopen the government unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted opposition lawmakers for rejecting the Republican proposal, which passed in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson said. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions sought a court injunction to block the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the shutdown. Moreover, a court official directed the government to disclose details on layoff plans, affected agencies, and whether any government staff had been recalled to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown restricts the ability of the administration to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the funding expired.

Consequences for Employees

These terminations took place on the very day that government employees got only a incomplete payment for the end of the previous month but not the beginning of the current month, since appropriations expired at the beginning of the month.

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

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our leaders in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our federal operations running,” Stier stated. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and top administration officials are still receiving salaries during the funding gap.