The White House confirmed the initiation of federal worker layoffs on the end of the week, following through on prior threats linked to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to stretch into its third straight week.
The director of the White House budget office posted on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official procedure for terminating staff.
Although Vought provided no details on which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that layoff warnings had been distributed within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security representative indicated that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Moreover, a union for federal workers announced that employees at the Department of Education would be affected by the reduction in force.
Labor representatives cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on public services relied upon by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the actions in court.
“It is disgraceful that the administration has exploited the government shutdown as an pretext to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who provide essential functions to the public across the country,” said a national union president, who leads the AFGE.
The largest labor federation in the US reacted to the news, declaring, “America’s unions will see you in court.”
Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to support a GOP-supported legislation to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. Following repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be resolved before then.
At a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP bill, which was approved in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.
Federal workers’ final pay that government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and reopen the government,” Johnson stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”
Last week, labor groups sought a temporary restraining order to block the government from implementing any reductions in force during the shutdown. Additionally, a federal judge directed the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any government staff had been brought back to carry out staff reductions.
A report contended that a government shutdown limits the authority of the government to carry out firings, citing official advice that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the shutdown began.
These terminations occurred on the same day that federal workers got only a incomplete payment for the end of the previous month but not the beginning of October, since funding lapsed at the start of the month.
A public service advocate, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.
This is unjust to make government staff bear the burden because our leaders in Congress and the White House have failed to keep our government running,” the advocate stated. The flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters 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 amid the funding gap.
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