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Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee terminations on the end of the week, following through on prior threats linked to the continuing US government shutdown, which is set to extend into its third straight week.

Formal Statement and Initial Details

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

While Vought provided no details on which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson stated that notices had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Also, a union for federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Court Actions

Union leaders cautions that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on services used by the public and vowed to challenge the actions in the legal system.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has exploited the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to the public across the country,” said Everett Kelley, representing the AFGE.

The AFL-CIO reacted to the announcement, saying, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to support a Republican-backed bill to reopen the government unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until the following week, indicating the deadlock is not expected to be ended soon.

During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the GOP proposal, which passed in the House 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,” Johnson said. Beginning shortly, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups filed for a court injunction to block the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge ordered the administration to provide specifics on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any government staff had been recalled to execute staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown restricts the authority of the administration to carry out firings, citing official advice that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

These terminations 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 period.

A public service advocate, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the gridlock’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our government running,” the advocate said. “Our air traffic controllers, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries during the shutdown.