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The White House disclosed the start of government employee terminations on Friday, making good on earlier warnings linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is now poised to extend into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Initial Details

The director of the White House budget office posted on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official process for terminating staff.

Although the official provided no details on which agencies were impacted, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a DHS representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the CISA. Also, a labor organization for federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be affected by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Labor representatives warned that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on public services relied upon by millions of Americans and vowed to challenge the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the government has exploited the funding lapse as an pretext to wrongfully terminate thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to the public across the country,” said Everett Kelley, who leads the AFGE.

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

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is unlikely to be ended before then.

During a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican bill, which was approved 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,” 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

Last week, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge directed the government to provide specifics on termination strategies, affected agencies, and if any federal employees had been brought back to execute layoffs.

A report argued that a government shutdown restricts the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, 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 very day that government employees got only a incomplete payment covering the final days of the previous month but not the beginning of the current month, since funding lapsed at the beginning of the period.

Max Stier, the head of the advocacy group, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

This is unjust to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our federal operations open and operational,” Stier said. The flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid during the funding gap.