White House Reveals Federal Employee Job Cuts as Shutdown Nears Third Week
Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee terminations on Friday, making good on prior threats in response to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is set to extend into its third straight week.
Formal Statement and Initial Details
Russell Vought posted on social media that “RIFs have begun,” indicating the official procedure for letting employees go.
Although Vought did not specify which departments were impacted, a representative from the Treasury Department stated that notices had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a DHS spokesperson indicated that layoffs would take place at the CISA. Moreover, a union for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the staff cuts.
Union Response and Legal Challenges
Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on public services used by millions of Americans and vowed to challenge the moves in the legal system.
This is shameful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to wrongfully terminate numerous employees who provide critical services to communities across the country,” stated a national union president, who leads the AFGE.
The largest labor federation in the US reacted to the news, saying, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”
Political Standoff and Funding Battle
Lawmakers from the Democratic party have declined to vote for a GOP-supported legislation to restore funding unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. Following repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have put the chamber in recess until the following week, meaning the deadlock is not expected to be resolved before then.
At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, Mike Johnson, blasted Senate Democrats for rejecting the GOP bill, which was approved in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.
“This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson stated. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”
Legal and Operational Constraints
Previously, unions sought a court injunction to prevent the administration from implementing any reductions in force during the funding gap. Additionally, a court official ordered the government to provide specifics on termination strategies, impacted departments, and whether any federal employees had been recalled to carry out staff reductions.
A report contended that a funding lapse limits the authority of the administration to conduct terminations, citing guidance that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started prior to the funding expired.
Consequences for Employees
The layoffs took place on the very day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck for the end of September but not the beginning of October, since appropriations lapsed at the beginning of the period.
A public service advocate, the president of the advocacy group, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.
This is unjust to make government staff bear the burden because our leaders in Congress and the administration have failed to keep our government running,” Stier said. The flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not responsible for this funding crisis.”
The irony is that members of Congress and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.
