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

Formal Statement and Initial Details

Russell Vought wrote on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official process for letting employees go.

Although Vought did not specify which agencies were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that notices had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a DHS spokesperson indicated that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Moreover, a union for federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Court Actions

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

This is shameful that the government has used the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire numerous employees who provide critical services to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, representing the AFGE.

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to support a GOP-supported legislation to restore funding 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 deadlock is unlikely to be ended before then.

During a press conference, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the GOP proposal, which passed in the House on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, unions sought a court injunction to block the government from implementing any layoffs during the shutdown. Additionally, a federal judge directed the government to disclose details on layoff plans, affected agencies, and whether any government staff had been recalled to execute layoffs.

A report contended that a funding lapse limits the authority of the government to conduct terminations, citing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the very day that government employees got only a partial paycheck covering the final days of the previous month but not the beginning of October, since funding expired at the beginning of the month.

Max Stier, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the gridlock’s impact on government workers.

“It is wrong to make federal employees suffer because our leaders in the legislature and the White House have failed to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate stated. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that lawmakers and top administration officials are still receiving salaries during the shutdown.