🔗 Share this article

Administration officials disclosed the initiation of federal worker layoffs on the end of the week, making good on earlier warnings in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is set to extend into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

The director of the White House budget office wrote on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” indicating the government’s procedure for terminating staff.

While the official did not specify which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson stated that notices had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a DHS representative indicated that layoffs would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a union for federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Court Actions

Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on services relied upon by millions of Americans and vowed to challenge the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities nationwide,” said a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US reacted to the announcement, saying, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to vote for a Republican-backed bill to reopen the government unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the deadlock is not expected to be resolved soon.

At a press conference, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, blasted Senate Democrats for rejecting the GOP proposal, which passed in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, unions sought a court injunction to block the administration from implementing any layoffs during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge directed the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been recalled to carry out staff reductions.

An analysis contended that a funding lapse restricts the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, citing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the funding expired.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the very day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck for the end of September but not the beginning of October, since funding expired at the start of the period.

A public service advocate, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the political stalemate’s effect on government workers.

This is unjust to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in Congress and the administration have failed to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate stated. The air traffic controllers, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

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