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

Official Announcement and Initial Details

Russell Vought wrote on social media that “reductions in force have begun,” referring to the government’s procedure for letting employees go.

While Vought provided no details on which agencies were affected, a treasury spokesperson stated that layoff warnings had been distributed within that department. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that staff reductions would take place at the CISA. Moreover, a union representing federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Labor Reaction and Court Actions

Labor representatives cautions that the terminations would have “devastating effects” on services relied upon by the public and vowed to challenge the moves in court.

“It is disgraceful that the administration has exploited the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver essential functions to communities nationwide,” said a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.

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

Legislative Impasse and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have refused to support a GOP-supported legislation to reopen the government unless it includes provisions related to health policy. Following multiple unsuccessful votes, 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 media briefing, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, criticized Senate Democrats for rejecting the Republican bill, which passed in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to fulfill their duties and end the shutdown,” 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 block the government from implementing any layoffs during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge directed the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, affected agencies, and if any federal employees had been brought back to carry out staff reductions.

A report argued that a government shutdown limits the ability of the government to conduct terminations, referencing guidance that acknowledged any long-term staff cuts need to have been started prior to the shutdown began.

Impact on Workers

These terminations took place on the same day that federal workers received only a partial paycheck covering the end of the previous month but not the start 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 gridlock’s impact on government workers.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our leaders in the legislature and the White House have not succeeded to keep our government running,” Stier said. “Our air traffic controllers, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

The irony is that members of Congress and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.