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Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, making good on prior threats linked to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is set to extend into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

Russell Vought wrote on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the government’s procedure for terminating staff.

Although the official did not specify which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Additionally, a DHS representative noted that layoffs would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a labor organization for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be affected by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives warned that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on public services used by the public and pledged to challenge the moves in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the funding lapse as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to the public across the country,” 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.”

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to support a Republican-backed bill to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. Following repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be ended before then.

At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP proposal, which passed in the House on a largely partisan basis.

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

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, unions filed for a court injunction to block the government from carrying out any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any government staff had been recalled to execute layoffs.

A report argued that a funding lapse restricts the authority of the administration to carry out firings, referencing guidance that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the very day that government employees got only a incomplete payment for the end of the previous month but excluding the beginning of October, since appropriations expired at the start of the month.

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

“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our leaders in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our federal operations running,” Stier stated. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and top administration officials are continuing to be paid during the shutdown.