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The White House confirmed the start of government employee terminations on Friday, following through on prior threats linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third straight 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 official procedure for terminating staff.

Although Vought did not specify which agencies were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative indicated that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Moreover, a union for federal workers confirmed that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on public services used by the public and vowed to challenge the actions in court.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire numerous employees who provide essential functions to communities nationwide,” stated a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

The AFL-CIO reacted to the announcement, saying, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it includes provisions related to health policy. Following repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be ended soon.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, criticized opposition lawmakers for rejecting the GOP bill, which was approved in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and reopen the government,” Johnson said. Beginning shortly, American service members, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to block the government from carrying out any reductions in force during the shutdown. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the administration to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been brought back to execute layoffs.

A report argued that a funding lapse limits the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been started before the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

These terminations took place on the same day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment for the end of September but excluding the beginning of the current month, since funding lapsed at the start of the month.

Max Stier, the president of the advocacy group, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

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

The irony is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid during the funding gap.