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Administration officials confirmed the start of federal worker layoffs on Friday, making good on earlier warnings linked to the continuing US government shutdown, which is set to stretch 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,” referring to the official process for letting employees go.

While Vought provided no details on which departments were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that notices had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the CISA. Also, a labor organization for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Department of Education would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

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

“It is disgraceful that the government has exploited the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide essential functions to communities nationwide,” said Everett Kelley, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Legislative Impasse and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a Republican-backed bill to restore funding unless it includes provisions related to health policy. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be ended soon.

During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, criticized Senate Democrats for rejecting the Republican bill, which was approved in the House on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and reopen the government,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, unions filed for a court injunction to block the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official ordered the government to disclose details on layoff plans, affected agencies, and whether any federal employees had been brought back to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the authority of the administration to carry out firings, citing guidance that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated before the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs occurred on the very day that federal workers received only a partial paycheck for the final days of September but excluding the beginning of October, since funding expired at the start of the month.

Max Stier, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the political stalemate’s effect on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the administration have not succeeded to keep our federal operations running,” Stier said. The flight regulators, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and safety officials are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

A notable point is that members of Congress and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.