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Administration officials confirmed the initiation of government employee layoffs on the end of the week, following through on earlier warnings linked to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to extend into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office posted on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official procedure for terminating staff.

While Vought provided no details on which agencies were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that staff reductions would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that employees at the Department of Education would be affected by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives warned that the terminations would have “devastating effects” on services relied upon by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the moves in court.

This is shameful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire numerous employees who deliver essential functions to the public across the country,” stated a national union president, representing the AFGE.

The AFL-CIO responded to the news, saying, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have refused to support a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, indicating the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

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

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, labor groups filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any reductions in force during the shutdown. Moreover, a court official directed the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any government staff had been recalled to carry out layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown limits the authority of the government to carry out firings, citing guidance that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the same day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment for the end of the previous month but not the beginning of October, since appropriations lapsed at the beginning of the month.

Max Stier, the head of the advocacy group, criticized the gridlock’s impact on government workers.

This is unjust to make federal employees suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government open and operational,” Stier stated. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that members of Congress and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the funding gap.