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The White House confirmed the start of federal worker terminations on the end of the week, making good on earlier warnings in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is set to stretch into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office wrote on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” referring to the government’s procedure for letting employees go.

While Vought did not specify which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a DHS spokesperson noted that layoffs would take place at the CISA. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

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

“It is disgraceful that the administration has exploited the funding lapse as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide essential functions to communities across the country,” stated Everett Kelley, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US responded to the news, declaring, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have declined to support a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until the following week, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved soon.

At a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, criticized opposition lawmakers for not supporting the GOP proposal, which was approved in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

“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, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, unions sought a court injunction to prevent the government from carrying out any reductions in force during the funding gap. Additionally, a court official directed the administration to provide specifics on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been recalled to execute layoffs.

A report argued that a government shutdown limits the authority of the government to carry out firings, citing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the same day that government employees got only a incomplete payment covering the final days of September but excluding the start of October, since funding lapsed at the beginning of the period.

Max Stier, the president of the advocacy group, criticized the gridlock’s effect on federal employees.

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our leaders in the legislature and the White House have not succeeded to keep our federal operations open and operational,” Stier stated. “Our air traffic controllers, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid amid the shutdown.