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Administration officials confirmed the start of federal worker 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 consecutive week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

Russell Vought posted on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” referring to the official process for letting employees go.

Although Vought provided no details on which departments were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that layoff warnings had been distributed within that agency. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson noted that layoffs would take place at the CISA. Moreover, a labor organization for federal workers confirmed that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges

Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on public services used by millions of Americans and pledged to challenge the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire numerous employees who provide critical services to the public across the country,” said a national union president, representing the AFGE.

The AFL-CIO responded to the news, declaring, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, indicating the standoff is not expected to be resolved before then.

At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, blasted Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP bill, which passed 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 fulfill their duties and reopen the government,” Johnson said. Beginning shortly, American service members, who often live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, labor groups filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any reductions in force during the shutdown. Moreover, a court official ordered the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any government staff had been recalled to execute staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the ability of the administration to carry out firings, referencing official advice that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the funding expired.

Consequences for Employees

These terminations took place on the same day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck for the final days of the previous month but excluding the start of the current month, since appropriations expired at the start of the period.

A public service advocate, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the political stalemate’s impact on government workers.

This is unjust to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate said. The air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, smoke jumpers 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 during the shutdown.