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Administration officials confirmed the start of federal worker terminations on Friday, making good on earlier warnings in response to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to stretch into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office wrote on social media that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the government’s procedure for terminating staff.

Although Vought did not specify which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been distributed within that department. Additionally, a DHS representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on public services used by the public and vowed to contest the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has exploited the funding lapse as an pretext to illegally fire numerous employees who deliver essential functions to communities nationwide,” said a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a GOP-supported bill to restore funding unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved soon.

At a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the Republican proposal, which passed in the House on a near party-line vote.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job 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

Last week, unions sought a court injunction to prevent the administration from implementing any layoffs during the shutdown. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the government to disclose details on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any government staff had been recalled to carry out layoffs.

An analysis contended that a funding lapse limits the ability of the government to carry out firings, citing guidance that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been started before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the very day that government employees got only a partial paycheck for the end of the previous month but excluding the start of the current month, since appropriations expired at the start of the period.

A public service advocate, the president of the advocacy group, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on government workers.

This is unjust to make government staff bear the burden because our leaders in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government open and operational,” Stier said. The air traffic controllers, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

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