White House announces more federal layoffs: ‘The RIFs have begun’

WASHINGTON – Workplace of Administration and Price range Director Russ Vought posted on social media Friday afternoon that beforehand threatened federal layoffs have begun.

“The RIFs have begun,” Vought wrote on Friday.

What we all know:

Trump administration officers mentioned laid off federal well being care staff are being laid off “as a direct consequence” of the federal government shutdown, however they didn’t say what number of or which companies had been hardest hit.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers confirmed the terminations in an electronic mail Friday and mentioned anybody who obtained a discover was categorized as nonessential. AP reports.

“HHS continues to close down wasteful and duplicitous entities, together with those who run counter to the Trump administration’s Make America Wholesome Once more agenda,” mentioned the spokesman, Andrew Nixon.

What we do not know:

It’s nonetheless unclear which companies might be affected and the way many individuals might be dismissed.

The backstory:

The Trump administration has been threatening these layoffs since earlier than the federal government shutdown started.

Final month is one memo from OMB instructed companies to make use of the shutdown as a chance to put off staff in applications with no additional funding supply or applications that don’t align with the president’s priorities.

The memo additionally suggested companies to deliver again solely the minimal variety of workers essential to function legally as soon as the shutdown ends.

White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned at a information convention Monday that the White Home was working to find out “who will sadly should be fired” if the federal government stays closed.

Trump instructed reporters on Sunday that there are “cuts taking place proper now, and it is all due to the Democrats.”

One other one OMB memo which circulated earlier this week, claimed that laid-off federal workers wouldn’t be assured again pay, regardless of a 2019 regulation handed by Congress and signed throughout Trump’s first time period.

What they are saying:

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) made an announcement on Friday:

“The large layoffs introduced immediately by Russ Vought and the Trump Administration are merciless, unlawful, and yet one more assault on our economic system. It is a catastrophe for Virginia, intentionally inflicted by President Trump and his Republican allies. These layoffs are already being fought out in court docket.

“This president is killing jobs at a disastrous fee whereas forcing the continuation of a authorities shutdown that will finish if he merely agreed to forestall skyrocketing well being care value will increase. Nevertheless, as a substitute of doing that, Trump and Vought are illegally shedding extra staff, harming important providers for the American folks and our economic system in Virginia and throughout the nation.” harms the nation. Vought can also be additional abusing energy by corruptly freezing a whole bunch of vitality infrastructure tasks, which is able to damage the economic system in Virginia and your entire nation. killing much more jobs and elevating electrical energy costs throughout the nation.

“Everybody ought to perceive {that a} authorities shutdown doesn’t require or allow mass layoffs of federal staff, however the truth is forbids them. President Trump and Russ Vought have been shedding 1000’s of federal staff repeatedly because the begin of the DOGE catastrophe, and as numerous Republicans have admitted, they clearly hoped to make use of the pretext of a shutdown to kill much more American dismiss workers. However directing these layoffs throughout a shutdown is towards the regulation, and so are the legal guidelines they break. legal statutes.

“This administration’s corruption is matched solely by its willingness to sabotage our economic system and lift costs for the American folks. Trump and Vought’s lawless disregard for Congress’ powers below the Structure may even make it harder to succeed in the bipartisan deal wanted to finish this shutdown.”

“I’ll proceed to do every thing I can to help and defend federal staff and contractors in Northern Virginia and throughout the nation. To these staff, I say once more: you deserve so significantly better than this, and whereas I do know that is one other darkish second in a darkish yr, please do not lose hope. The nation nonetheless sees and appreciates your providers, and your work isn’t in useless.”