🔗 Share this article

The White House confirmed the initiation of government employee terminations on the end of the week, following through on prior threats in response to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to stretch into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

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

While the official did not specify which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been distributed within that agency. Furthermore, a DHS representative indicated that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on services relied upon by the public and vowed to contest the moves in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who deliver critical services to communities across the country,” stated a national union president, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US reacted to the announcement, saying, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. After repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, indicating the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the GOP 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 Washington Democrats decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. Beginning shortly, military personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the government from implementing any layoffs during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge ordered the government to provide specifics on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been brought back to execute layoffs.

A report contended that a government shutdown restricts the ability of the administration to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the very day that government employees got only a partial paycheck covering the final days of September but not the start of the current month, since funding expired at the beginning of the month.

A public service advocate, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on government workers.

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our leaders in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government running,” the advocate stated. “Our flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid amid the shutdown.