Administration officials confirmed the start of federal worker layoffs on Friday, following through on prior threats linked to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third straight week.
Russell Vought wrote on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” referring to the official process for terminating staff.
Although the official provided no details on which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson indicated that layoffs would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a labor organization representing federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be affected by the staff cuts.
Union leaders warned that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on public services used by the public and vowed to contest the actions in court.
This is shameful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver critical services to the public across the country,” said Everett Kelley, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.
The AFL-CIO reacted to the news, declaring, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”
Congressional Democrats have refused to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, indicating the standoff is not expected to be ended before then.
At a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, criticized opposition lawmakers for rejecting the Republican proposal, which was approved in the House on a near party-line vote.
Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and reopen the government,” the speaker said. Beginning shortly, American service members, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”
Last week, unions filed for a court injunction to block the government from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official directed the government to disclose details on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any federal employees had been brought back to execute layoffs.
A report argued that a funding lapse restricts the ability of the government to conduct terminations, citing official advice that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been started prior to the funding expired.
These terminations took place on the very day that government employees received only a incomplete payment for the final days of September but not the beginning of the current month, since funding expired at the start of the period.
Max Stier, the president of the advocacy group, condemned the political stalemate’s effect on government workers.
“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our leaders in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our federal operations running,” Stier said. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not at fault for this funding crisis.”
The irony is that lawmakers and top administration officials are still receiving salaries during the funding gap.
Elena Vance is a digital strategist with over a decade of experience in UK business consulting, specializing in technology-driven growth solutions.