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The White House disclosed the initiation of federal worker layoffs on the end of the week, following through on earlier warnings in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is set to extend 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,” referring to the official process for letting employees go.

While Vought provided no details on which departments were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been distributed within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative indicated that layoffs would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Court Actions

Labor representatives warned that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on services used by millions of Americans and vowed to challenge the moves in court.

This is shameful that the administration has exploited the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, representing the AFGE.

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

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to support a GOP-supported legislation to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved before then.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, criticized opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

Federal workers’ final pay that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, unions sought a court injunction to prevent the administration from implementing any layoffs during the shutdown. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any government staff had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

A report argued that a government shutdown limits the authority of the government to conduct terminations, citing official advice that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs took place on the same day that federal workers received only a partial paycheck for the end of the previous month but excluding the beginning of October, since appropriations expired at the beginning of the month.

A public service advocate, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the gridlock’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make federal employees suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government running,” Stier said. The air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid amid the shutdown.