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The White House disclosed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, making good on earlier warnings linked to the ongoing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to stretch into its third straight week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office posted on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official process for letting employees go.

Although Vought did not specify which agencies were affected, a treasury spokesperson stated that layoff warnings had been distributed within that department. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security representative noted that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Moreover, a union representing federal workers announced that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

Labor representatives cautions that the terminations would have “severe consequences” on public services used by millions of Americans and pledged to contest the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the government has exploited the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to the public nationwide,” stated Everett Kelley, representing the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US responded to the news, saying, “America’s unions will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Congressional Democrats have declined to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. After repeated failed attempts, 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.

During a media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, criticized opposition lawmakers for rejecting the GOP proposal, 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 stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Previously, unions filed for a court injunction to prevent the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the shutdown. Additionally, a federal judge directed the administration to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any government staff had been recalled to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse limits the ability of the government to carry out firings, citing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been initiated prior to the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the same day that government employees got only a incomplete payment covering the final days of the previous month but excluding the start of the current month, since funding lapsed at the start of the period.

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

“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 air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid amid the funding gap.