🔗 Share this article White House Reveals Government Worker Layoffs as Funding Gap Nears Third Week 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 now poised to extend into its third consecutive week. Official Announcement and Early Information Russell Vought wrote on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official procedure for terminating staff. While the official provided no details on which agencies were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been distributed within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that layoffs would take place at the CISA. Moreover, a union for federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be affected 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 vowed to challenge the moves in court. This is shameful that the government has used the funding lapse as an pretext to illegally fire numerous employees who deliver critical services to communities nationwide,” stated Everett Kelley, representing the AFGE. The AFL-CIO reacted to the news, saying, “America’s unions will see you in court.” Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute Congressional Democrats have declined to support a Republican-backed bill to restore funding unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. Following repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, meaning the deadlock is not expected to be resolved soon. During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, criticized opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican bill, which passed in the House 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 said. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.” Judicial and Practical Limits Previously, labor groups sought a court injunction to prevent the government from carrying out any reductions in force during the shutdown. Moreover, a federal judge ordered the administration to provide specifics on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been recalled to execute staff reductions. An analysis contended that a government shutdown limits the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began. Consequences for Employees The layoffs took place on the very day that government employees received only a incomplete payment for the end of the previous month but not the beginning of October, since appropriations expired at the start of the period. A public service advocate, the president of the advocacy group, condemned the gridlock’s impact on government workers. “It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government running,” Stier stated. The air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.” The irony is that members of Congress and top administration officials are still receiving salaries during the shutdown.