Key Takeaways
- The White House started permanent layoffs of federal workers amid the government shutdown.
- Expect delays in federal services as agencies lose staff; these layoffs differ from past shutdowns.
- Unions representing government workers plan to sue in response to the layoffs.
- The Trump administration’s cost-cutting efforts already reduced federal jobs earlier this year.
The White House began firing federal workers Friday, making good on threats to permanently cut jobs during the ongoing government shutdown.
What It Means For You: If you rely on federal services or know someone who works for the government, expect more delays and disruptions as agencies lose staff permanently.
What’s Happening: The Office of Management and Budget confirmed the layoffs started Friday and called them “substantial.” Officials would not say how many workers lost their jobs or which agencies were hit.
- The Department of Health and Human Services said workers “across multiple divisions” received notices.
- Unlike past shutdowns where workers were sent home temporarily, these employees are being fired permanently.
Between the Lines: This marks a major break from how past shutdowns worked. In previous years, federal workers stayed home but got their jobs back when the government reopened.
Why Now: The White House has spent more than a week warning it would fire workers if Democrats didn’t vote to reopen the government. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that many of these jobs “will never come back.”
The Standoff: Democrats want Republicans to extend health care subsidies that expire at the end of the year. Without them, insurance premiums will jump. Republicans say they won’t talk about health care until Democrats vote to reopen the government.
What Happens Next: Unions representing government workers say they will sue. The AFL-CIO posted on social media: “America’s unions will see you in court.”
The Big Picture: The Trump administration already cut thousands of federal jobs earlier this year through cost-cutting efforts. These new firings add to those losses and could permanently shrink the federal workforce.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
