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The White House disclosed the start of federal worker terminations on the end of the week, following through on prior threats linked to the continuing US government shutdown, which is set to extend into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Initial Details

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

Although Vought provided no details on which agencies were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a DHS representative indicated that staff reductions would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a union representing federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Court Actions

Labor representatives warned that the terminations would have “devastating effects” on public services used by the public and vowed to contest the actions in court.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who provide critical services to the public across the country,” stated a national union president, who leads the AFGE.

The AFL-CIO responded to the announcement, declaring, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to vote for a GOP-supported bill to reopen the government unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until the following week, indicating the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted Senate Democrats for rejecting the Republican proposal, which was approved in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” the speaker stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions filed for a court injunction to block the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the shutdown. Moreover, a federal judge directed the government to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and if any government staff had been brought back to execute layoffs.

A report argued that a government shutdown restricts the ability of the government to carry out firings, referencing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

These terminations took place on the same day that government employees received only a partial paycheck covering the final days of September but excluding the beginning of the current month, since appropriations lapsed at the beginning of the month.

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

This is unjust to make federal employees bear the burden because our leaders in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our federal operations open and operational,” the advocate said. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries during the funding gap.