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The White House disclosed the initiation of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on earlier warnings linked to the ongoing US government shutdown, which is now poised to stretch into its third consecutive week.

Formal Statement and Early Information

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

Although the official did not specify which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that notices had been issued within that agency. Additionally, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that layoffs would also occur at the CISA. Also, a union for federal workers announced that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

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

“It is disgraceful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an pretext to illegally fire numerous employees who deliver essential functions to communities across the country,” stated a national union president, representing the AFGE.

The AFL-CIO reacted to the announcement, declaring, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”

Political Standoff and Budget Dispute

Congressional Democrats have declined to vote for a Republican-backed legislation to restore funding unless it contains provisions related to health policy. Following repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until next Tuesday, meaning the deadlock is not expected to be resolved before then.

At a press conference, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, blasted opposition lawmakers for not supporting the Republican proposal, which was approved in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.

Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, many of whom live on tight budgets, are going to miss a complete payment.”

Judicial and Practical Limits

Last week, unions sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Additionally, a federal judge directed the government to provide specifics on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any government staff had been brought back to execute layoffs.

An analysis argued that a government shutdown restricts the authority of the administration to carry out firings, citing official advice that acknowledged any permanent layoffs need to have been started before the shutdown began.

Consequences for Employees

The layoffs took place on the very day that federal workers got only a partial paycheck covering the end of September but excluding the beginning of October, since appropriations expired at the beginning of the month.

Max Stier, the president of the advocacy group, criticized the gridlock’s impact on federal employees.

“It is wrong to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our government running,” Stier stated. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and safety officials are not at fault for this government shutdown.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and top administration officials are still receiving salaries amid the shutdown.