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Administration officials confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on prior threats in response to the continuing federal funding lapse, which is set to extend into its third consecutive week.

Official Announcement and Early Information

Russell Vought posted on a public platform that “RIFs have begun,” referring to the government’s process for terminating staff.

Although the official did not specify which agencies were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Additionally, a DHS representative noted that staff reductions would also occur at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Also, a union representing federal workers announced that members at the Department of Education would be affected by the reduction in force.

Union Response and Legal Challenges

Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on services relied upon by the public and pledged to challenge the actions in the legal system.

This is shameful that the administration has used the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who deliver critical services to the public nationwide,” said a national union president, representing the AFGE.

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

Political Standoff and Funding Battle

Lawmakers from the Democratic party have refused to support a GOP-supported bill to reopen the government unless it contains healthcare-centered concessions. Following repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have put the chamber in recess until next Tuesday, meaning the standoff is unlikely to be resolved before then.

At a media briefing, the Republican House speaker, the speaker, criticized Senate Democrats for not supporting the Republican proposal, which was approved in the House on a near party-line vote.

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 said. “Starting next week, American service members, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are going to miss a full paycheck.”

Legal and Operational Constraints

Last week, labor groups filed for a court injunction to prevent the administration from implementing any layoffs during the shutdown. Moreover, a court official ordered the administration to provide specifics on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any government staff had been recalled to execute layoffs.

A report argued that a funding lapse limits the ability of the administration to conduct terminations, referencing official advice that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been initiated prior to the funding expired.

Impact on Workers

These terminations occurred on the very day that federal workers received only a incomplete payment for the final days of September but not the beginning of the current month, since funding expired at the start of the month.

A public service advocate, the president of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, condemned the political stalemate’s impact on federal employees.

This is unjust to make federal employees bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the White House have failed to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate said. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, wildland firefighters and food inspectors are not at fault for this funding crisis.”

A notable point is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are still receiving salaries during the funding gap.