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

Formal Statement and Initial Details

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

Although Vought did not specify which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a DHS spokesperson noted that layoffs would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization for federal workers confirmed that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives warned that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on public services used by the public and vowed to challenge the actions in court.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an pretext to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who deliver critical services to communities across the country,” said Everett Kelley, representing the AFGE.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to support a GOP-supported bill to reopen the government unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, indicating the standoff is unlikely to be resolved soon.

At a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, criticized Senate Democrats for rejecting the GOP proposal, which passed in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson said. “Starting next week, military personnel, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to block the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been recalled to execute staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the ability of the government to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs took place on the same day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment covering the final days of September but not the beginning of October, since appropriations lapsed at the beginning of the period.

A public service advocate, the president of the advocacy group, criticized the gridlock’s effect on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our leaders in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government running,” the advocate stated. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, 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 during the shutdown.