Administration Announces Government Worker Job Cuts as Shutdown Nears Third Week
The White House confirmed the start of government employee layoffs on Friday, following through on prior threats linked to the continuing federal funding lapse, which is now poised to extend into its third straight week.
Formal Statement and Early Information
The director of the White House budget office wrote on a public platform that “reductions in force have begun,” referring to the official process for letting employees go.
While Vought provided no details on which departments were impacted, a treasury spokesperson stated that layoff warnings had been issued within that agency. Furthermore, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that layoffs would take place at the CISA. Moreover, a labor organization representing federal workers confirmed that employees at the Education Department would be impacted by the reduction in force.
Labor Reaction and Legal Challenges
Union leaders cautions that the layoffs would have “severe consequences” on services used by the public and pledged to challenge the actions in court.
This is shameful that the administration has used the government shutdown as an pretext to illegally fire numerous employees who deliver critical services to the public across the country,” stated Everett Kelley, representing the AFGE.
The AFL-CIO responded to the announcement, 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 bill to reopen the government unless it includes healthcare-centered concessions. After repeated failed attempts, the Senate’s Republican leaders have adjourned the Senate until the following week, indicating the deadlock is unlikely to be ended soon.
At a press conference, the GOP leader in the House, the speaker, criticized Senate Democrats for not supporting the GOP proposal, which passed in the lower chamber on a near party-line vote.
Federal workers’ final pay that 700,000 federal workers will see until opposition leaders decide to do their job and end the shutdown,” Johnson stated. “Starting next week, military personnel, who often live on tight budgets, are going to miss a full paycheck.”
Judicial and Practical Limits
Previously, unions sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the government from carrying out any layoffs during the funding gap. Moreover, a federal judge directed the government to disclose details on termination strategies, affected agencies, and whether any government staff had been recalled to carry out layoffs.
An analysis argued that a funding lapse restricts 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 funding expired.
Impact on Workers
These terminations took place on the same day that federal workers received only a partial paycheck covering the end of September but not the start of October, since appropriations expired at the start of the month.
A public service advocate, the head of the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, criticized the gridlock’s impact on government workers.
This is unjust to make government staff bear the burden because our elected officials in the legislature and the administration have not succeeded to keep our federal operations running,” the advocate said. “Our flight regulators, VA nurses, smoke jumpers and food inspectors are not responsible for this government shutdown.”
A notable point is that members of Congress and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid amid the shutdown.