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The White House confirmed the initiation of federal worker layoffs on Friday, following through on prior threats linked to the continuing US government shutdown, which is set to extend into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

The director of the White House budget office posted on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” referring to the official procedure for terminating staff.

While Vought provided no details on which agencies were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been distributed within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that staff reductions would also occur at the CISA. Also, a union representing federal workers confirmed that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on services used by the public and pledged to contest the moves in court.

This is shameful that the administration has exploited the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire numerous employees who provide critical services to the public across the country,” stated a national union president, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to reopen the government unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is not expected to be ended soon.

At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the GOP bill, which was approved in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

Federal workers’ final pay that government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” Johnson said. Beginning shortly, military personnel, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to block the government from carrying out any layoffs during the shutdown. Additionally, a court official directed the government to disclose details on layoff plans, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been recalled to execute layoffs.

A report argued that a government shutdown limits the authority of the government to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

These terminations occurred on the same day that government employees got only a incomplete payment for the final days of the previous month but not the beginning of October, since appropriations expired at the start of the month.

Max Stier, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the political stalemate’s effect on federal employees.

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

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