The US government shutdown that began this week has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers facing weeks without pay, as the White House signaled it may go beyond temporary furloughs and move toward permanent layoffs.
According to Axios, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought told Republican lawmakers that agencies could begin firing federal employees "within a day or two" of the shutdown, a sharp break from past practice where workers were furloughed but guaranteed back pay once funding resumed.
The warning comes after months of turmoil driven by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Trump administration's vehicle for downsizing the federal workforce. In April, nearly 1,500 staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) were abruptly dismissed — a move later challenged in court. A federal judge temporarily blocked the firings, Reuters reported.
Roughly 750,000 workers are expected to be affected by the current shutdown, either furloughed or forced to work without pay until Congress passes a funding deal. While law requires that furloughed employees eventually receive back pay, the push for "Reduction in Force" plans has raised fears that many will not have jobs to return to once the standoff ends.
Federal employee unions are preparing legal challenges to block the administration's layoff plans, arguing that mass dismissals during a shutdown are unlawful.
For workers already rattled by DOGE-led cuts, the shutdown has become more than a temporary lapse in pay. With layoffs looming, it could mark the end of their federal careers.
