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Administration officials disclosed the start of government employee layoffs on the end of the week, following through on prior threats in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is set to extend into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

Russell Vought wrote on social media that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the official process for letting employees go.

While the official did not specify which agencies were affected, 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 representing federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

Labor representatives warned that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on public services relied upon by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the moves in the legal system.

This is shameful that the government has used the funding lapse as an pretext to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who provide essential functions to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to support a Republican-backed bill to reopen the government unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the GOP leadership in the Senate have adjourned the Senate until the following week, indicating the standoff is not expected to be resolved soon.

At a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, 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 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and reopen the government,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, military personnel, who often live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions filed for a court injunction to block the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge directed the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and if any federal employees had been recalled to execute staff reductions.

A report contended that a funding lapse limits the authority of the government to carry out firings, citing guidance that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the same day that government employees got only a partial paycheck for the end of the previous month but not the beginning of October, since appropriations lapsed at the start of the period.

Max Stier, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have failed to keep our government running,” Stier stated. “Our flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

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