🔗 Share this article

Administration officials confirmed the initiation of federal worker terminations on Friday, following through on earlier warnings in response to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

Russell Vought wrote on a public platform that “reductions in force have begun,” indicating the official procedure for letting employees go.

While the official provided no details on which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been distributed within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that staff reductions would take place at the CISA. Also, a union representing federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be affected by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon by the public and pledged to contest the actions in the legal system.

This is shameful that the government has exploited the funding lapse as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities nationwide,” stated 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 Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to support a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved soon.

At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the GOP bill, which was approved in the House 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 said. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, labor groups filed for a court injunction to block the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the government to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been brought back to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown limits the ability of the administration to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs took place on the very day that government employees got only a incomplete payment covering the final days of the previous month but excluding the beginning of the current month, since appropriations expired at the beginning of the period.

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

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have failed to keep our government running,” the advocate stated. “Our air traffic controllers, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that members of Congress and top administration officials are continuing to be paid during the shutdown.