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The White House confirmed the start of federal worker terminations on Friday, following through on prior threats linked to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

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

Although the official did not specify which agencies were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that notices had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a DHS spokesperson noted that staff reductions would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on services relied upon by millions of Americans and vowed to challenge the moves in the legal system.

This is shameful that the government has used the government shutdown as an pretext to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, who leads the AFGE.

The largest labor federation in the US responded to the announcement, 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 healthcare-centered concessions. After repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the standoff is unlikely to be resolved soon.

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

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” Johnson stated. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, unions sought a court injunction to block the government from carrying out any layoffs during the shutdown. Moreover, a court official ordered the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been recalled to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown limits the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the funding expired.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the very day that government employees got only a incomplete payment for the end of September but excluding the start of October, since appropriations lapsed at the beginning of the period.

A public service advocate, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the gridlock’s impact on government workers.

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in the legislature and the White House have failed to keep our government running,” the advocate stated. The flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the funding gap.