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

Formal Statement and Initial Details

The director of the White House budget office wrote on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” indicating the government’s process for letting employees go.

Although Vought provided no details on which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that notices had been distributed within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that staff reductions would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a union for federal workers confirmed that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on public services used by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the actions in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who provide critical services to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, representing the AFGE.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to vote for a Republican-backed bill to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, indicating the standoff is unlikely to be resolved soon.

During a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for rejecting the Republican bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

Federal workers’ final pay that government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, labor groups filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any reductions in force during the shutdown. Additionally, a federal judge ordered the administration to disclose details on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any federal employees had been recalled to carry out layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown limits the ability of the government to carry out firings, referencing guidance that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the same day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment covering the final days of September but excluding the beginning of October, since funding lapsed at the start of the period.

Max Stier, the head of the advocacy group, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on government workers.

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our leaders in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government open and operational,” Stier said. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and top administration officials are continuing to be paid amid the funding gap.