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The White House confirmed the start of federal worker layoffs on Friday, following through on prior threats in response to the continuing federal funding lapse, which is set to stretch into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Initial Details

Russell Vought posted on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official procedure for letting employees go.

Although Vought provided no details on which agencies were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been distributed within that department. Furthermore, a DHS spokesperson noted that layoffs would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

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

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an pretext to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to the public across the country,” stated Everett Kelley, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. Following repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the deadlock is not expected to be resolved before then.

At a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for rejecting the Republican bill, 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 fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. “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, unions sought a temporary restraining order to block the government from implementing any layoffs during the shutdown. Moreover, a court official ordered the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been recalled to execute layoffs.

A report argued that a government shutdown restricts the ability of the government to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the very day that government employees got only a partial paycheck covering the end of September but not the beginning of the current month, since funding expired at the start of the month.

A public service advocate, the president of the advocacy group, condemned the gridlock’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make federal employees suffer because our leaders in Congress and the administration have failed to keep our government open and operational,” Stier stated. “Our air traffic controllers, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.