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Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on the end of the week, making good on prior threats in response to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to extend into its third consecutive week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

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

Although Vought did not specify which agencies were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that staff reductions would take place at the CISA. Also, a union for federal workers confirmed that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Court Actions

Labor representatives warned that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on services used by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire numerous employees who deliver essential functions to communities across the country,” said a national union president, representing the AFGE.

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

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to support a GOP-supported legislation to reopen the government unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until the following week, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be ended soon.

At a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, criticized opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican bill, which passed in the House on a near party-line vote.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson said. Beginning shortly, military personnel, who often live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions sought a court injunction to block the government from implementing any reductions in force during the shutdown. Moreover, a federal judge directed the government to disclose details on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any federal employees had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

A report contended that a funding lapse restricts the ability of the administration to carry out firings, referencing guidance that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the same day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck for the final days of the previous month but excluding the beginning of the current month, since appropriations expired at the start of the period.

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

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our leaders in Congress and the White House have failed to keep our federal operations open and operational,” the advocate stated. “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 during the shutdown.