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Administration officials confirmed the start of federal worker layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings linked to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

Russell Vought posted on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” indicating the official procedure for terminating staff.

Although Vought provided no details on which agencies were affected, a treasury spokesperson stated that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson indicated that staff reductions would also occur at the CISA. Moreover, a union for federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

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

This is shameful that the government has used the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire numerous employees who provide critical services to communities nationwide,” stated a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it contains provisions related to health policy. Following repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the standoff is unlikely to be resolved before then.

During a press conference, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP proposal, which passed 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 end the shutdown,” the speaker said. Beginning shortly, American service members, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, unions filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the government from carrying out any reductions in force during the shutdown. Additionally, a federal judge directed the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been recalled to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the ability of the administration to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the same day that government employees got only a partial paycheck covering the end of the previous month but excluding the start of October, since funding lapsed at the beginning of the period.

A public service advocate, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the political stalemate’s effect on government workers.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our federal operations open and operational,” Stier said. The air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

The irony is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries amid the funding gap.