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The White House confirmed the initiation of federal worker layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings in response to the continuing federal funding lapse, which is set to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

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

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

Union Response and Court Actions

Labor representatives warned that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on public services used by millions of Americans and vowed to contest the actions in court.

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver critical services to the public across the country,” said a national union president, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US responded to the news, declaring, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to reopen the government 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, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be ended before then.

At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, criticized opposition lawmakers for rejecting the GOP proposal, which passed in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and reopen the government,” the speaker 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 filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the government from carrying out any reductions in force during the shutdown. Additionally, a court official ordered the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any federal employees had been recalled to carry out layoffs.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse limits the ability of the government to carry out firings, referencing guidance that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the funding expired.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs occurred on the very day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck for the final days of September but excluding the beginning of October, since appropriations lapsed at the beginning of the month.

Max Stier, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the gridlock’s effect on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make federal employees suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government open and operational,” Stier stated. “Our flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid during the shutdown.