Administration Announces Government Employee Layoffs as Shutdown Nears Third Week
The White House confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on the end of the week, following through on prior threats in response to the continuing US government shutdown, which is now poised to extend into its third straight week.
Formal Statement and Initial Details
The director of the White House budget office wrote on a public platform that “reductions in force have begun,” indicating the government’s process for letting employees go.
Although Vought provided no details on which agencies were affected, a treasury spokesperson confirmed that layoff warnings had been issued within that department. Furthermore, a DHS representative noted that layoffs would take place at the CISA. Moreover, a labor organization for federal workers confirmed that employees at the Department of Education would be affected by the staff cuts.
Union Response and Court Actions
Union leaders warned that the layoffs would have “devastating effects” on services relied upon by the public and pledged to contest the moves in the legal system.
This is shameful that the administration has exploited the funding lapse as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide essential functions to communities nationwide,” said a national union president, who leads the American Federation of Government Employees.
The AFL-CIO reacted to the news, declaring, “Labor organizations will see you in court.”
Political Standoff and Budget Dispute
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. Following repeated failed attempts, the GOP leadership in the Senate have adjourned the Senate until the following week, meaning the deadlock is unlikely to be ended soon.
During a press conference, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, blasted opposition lawmakers for rejecting the Republican bill, which was approved in the lower chamber on a largely partisan basis.
Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” the speaker said. “Starting next week, American service members, who often live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”
Legal and Operational Constraints
Previously, labor groups sought a court injunction to block the government from implementing any reductions in force during the shutdown. Additionally, a court official ordered the administration to disclose details on layoff plans, impacted departments, and if any federal employees had been brought back to execute layoffs.
A report argued that a funding lapse limits the authority of the government to carry out firings, citing guidance that admitted any long-term staff cuts need to have been started prior to the funding expired.
Impact on Workers
The layoffs occurred on the very day that government employees got only a incomplete payment covering the final days of September but not the start of the current month, since funding lapsed at the start of the period.
A public service advocate, the head of the advocacy group, condemned the gridlock’s effect on federal employees.
“It is wrong to make federal employees suffer because our leaders in the legislature and the administration have failed to keep our government running,” Stier stated. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not at fault for this government shutdown.”
The irony is that lawmakers and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid during the funding gap.