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Administration officials confirmed the start 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 stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

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.

Although the official provided no details on which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson noted that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Also, a union for federal workers confirmed that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

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

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire numerous employees who provide essential functions to the public nationwide,” stated Everett Kelley, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to restore funding unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. Following repeated failed attempts, 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 soon.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, criticized Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP bill, which was approved in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” Johnson stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, who often live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the shutdown. Moreover, a court official directed the administration to provide specifics on layoff plans, affected agencies, and whether any government staff had been brought back to carry out staff reductions.

A report contended that a government shutdown limits the authority of the administration to carry out firings, referencing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated before the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the same day that federal workers received only a partial paycheck for the end of September but excluding the start of the current month, since funding expired at the beginning of the month.

Max Stier, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the gridlock’s effect on government workers.

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our government open and operational,” Stier said. The flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that lawmakers and top administration officials are continuing to be paid during the funding gap.