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Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee terminations on Friday, following through on prior threats linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

Russell Vought wrote on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” referring to the official process for terminating staff.

While Vought did not specify which departments were affected, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been issued within that department. Additionally, a DHS representative noted that staff reductions would take place at the CISA. Moreover, a union representing federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be affected by the staff cuts.

Union Response and Court Actions

Labor representatives warned that the terminations would have “devastating effects” on public services used by the public and vowed to contest the actions in the legal system.

This is shameful that the administration has exploited the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide essential functions to the public nationwide,” said Everett Kelley, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

The largest labor federation in the US responded to the news, declaring, “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 restore funding unless it includes provisions related to health policy. Following repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be ended soon.

During a press conference, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, criticized opposition lawmakers for rejecting the Republican bill, which was approved in the House on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and reopen the government,” Johnson said. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, unions sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the shutdown. Additionally, a court official directed the administration to disclose details on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any government staff had been brought back to carry out layoffs.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the ability of the government to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

The layoffs took place on the same day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment covering the final days of September but excluding the beginning of October, since funding lapsed at the beginning of the period.

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

This is unjust to make federal employees suffer because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government running,” Stier stated. The flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.