Budget office says substantial' firings of federal workers have started in government shutdown

"Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said on the social media site X that the RIFs have begun, referring to reduction-in-force plans aimed at reducing the size of the federal government. A spokesperson for the budget office, said the reductions are substantial but did not offer more immediate details. The White House previewed that it would pursue the aggressive layoff tactic shortly before the government shutdown began on Oct. 1,"

"It said reduction-in-force could apply for federal programs whose funding would lapse in a government shutdown, are otherwise not funded and are not consistent with the President's priorities. This goes far beyond what usually happens in a government shutdown, which is that federal workers are furloughed but restored to their jobs once the shutdown ends. Democrats have tried to call the administration's bluff, arguing the firings could be illegal, and seemed bolstered by the fact that the White House had yet to carry out the firings."

The White House budget office said mass firings of federal workers have started to pressure Democratic lawmakers amid the government shutdown. Russ Vought said on X that reduction-in-force (RIF) plans have begun, and a budget office spokesperson called the reductions substantial without immediate detail. Agencies were ordered to submit RIF plans, and RIF could apply to programs whose funding would lapse, are otherwise unfunded, or do not match the President's priorities. The action exceeds normal shutdown practice of furlough and reinstatement. Democrats argued the firings could be illegal, while the President warned many eliminated jobs may never return. Both chambers of Congress remained out of session on the tenth day of the shutdown.

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