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The White House confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings in response to the continuing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

Russell Vought wrote on social media that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the government’s process for terminating staff.

Although Vought provided no details on which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been distributed within that department. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson noted that staff reductions would take place at the CISA. Also, a labor organization for federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be affected by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

Labor representatives warned that the terminations would have “devastating effects” on public services relied upon by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the actions in court.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to the public nationwide,” stated a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

The AFL-CIO reacted to the news, 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 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 next Tuesday, indicating the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

At a press conference, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the GOP bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson stated. Beginning shortly, American service members, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, unions filed for a court injunction to block the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the shutdown. Additionally, a federal judge ordered the government to disclose details on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any government staff had been recalled to carry out layoffs.

An analysis contended that a funding lapse restricts the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, citing official advice that acknowledged 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 final days of the previous month but not the beginning of October, since appropriations expired at the start of the month.

A public service advocate, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the gridlock’s effect on federal employees.

This is unjust to make federal employees suffer because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government running,” the advocate stated. “Our flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that lawmakers and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the funding gap.