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The White House disclosed the initiation of government employee terminations on Friday, following through on prior threats in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is set to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

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

While the official did not specify which agencies were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a DHS spokesperson indicated that layoffs would take place at the CISA. Moreover, a union for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Department of Education would be affected by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on public services relied upon by the public and pledged to challenge the actions in the legal system.

This is shameful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver critical services to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to vote for a GOP-supported bill to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved soon.

During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican bill, which was approved in the House on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and reopen the government,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups sought a court injunction to prevent the government from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any federal employees had been brought back to execute layoffs.

A report argued that a government shutdown limits the authority of the administration to carry out firings, citing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs took place on the very day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment covering the final days of September but not the beginning of the current month, since funding expired at the start of the period.

A public service advocate, the head of the advocacy group, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

This is unjust to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate stated. The air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and top administration officials are continuing to be paid amid the funding gap.