White House Announces Federal Employee Job Cuts as Shutdown Nears Third Week

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

Formal Statement and Early Information

The director of the White House budget office wrote on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the government’s process for terminating staff.

While Vought provided no details on which departments were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department confirmed that notices had been distributed within that agency. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson indicated that staff reductions would take place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Moreover, a union for federal workers confirmed that members at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

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

“It is disgraceful that the government has used the funding lapse as an excuse to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who deliver critical services to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, who leads the AFGE.

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

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to reopen the government unless it includes provisions related to health policy. After multiple unsuccessful votes, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the deadlock is not expected to be ended before then.

During a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, criticized Senate Democrats for rejecting the Republican bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.

“This is the last paycheck that government employees will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and reopen the government,” the speaker stated. Beginning shortly, military personnel, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Previously, unions sought a court injunction to prevent the government from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a court official ordered the administration to disclose details on termination strategies, impacted departments, and if any federal employees had been brought back to execute staff reductions.

An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts the authority of the government to carry out firings, referencing guidance that admitted any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the funding expired.

Consequences for Employees

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

A public service advocate, the head of the advocacy group, criticized the political stalemate’s effect on government workers.

“It is wrong to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in Congress and the White House have failed to keep our federal operations running,” Stier stated. “Our air traffic controllers, veterans’ healthcare providers, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not responsible for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and top administration officials are continuing to be paid amid the shutdown.