Layoff implementation work is exempted from shutdown, Trump admin says

"Last week, the White House's Office of Management and Budget issued new guidance instructing agencies to, if annual spending does lapse Tuesday evening, consider issuing reductions in force notices to all employees whose work is funded by regular appropriations and does not align with President Trump's priorities. In new guidance issued Sunday, the Office of Personnel Management told agencies that it can tweak those RIF plans once the government reopens."

"'Once fiscal year 2026 appropriations are enacted, agencies may consider revising their RIFs as needed to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions,' OPM said. 'Any proposed RIF plan must be submitted to OMB.' Any layoff notice sent at the outset of a shutdown is likely to have not yet taken effect by the time the government reopens."

"Agencies generally must provide 60-days notice to all impacted workers, OPM reminded agencies, meaning those employees will remain on the rolls provided a funding lapse lasts less than two months. Trump oversaw the longest-ever shutdown in 2018-2019, which dragged on for 35 days. Trump called on all agencies to develop mass layoff plans earlier this year, though only a handful of agencies have so far followed through on implementing them."

The Office of Management and Budget instructed agencies to consider issuing reductions in force notices to employees whose work is funded by appropriations and does not align with presidential priorities if annual spending lapses. The Office of Personnel Management allowed agencies to revise RIF plans once fiscal year 2026 appropriations are enacted and required proposed RIF plans to be submitted to OMB. Agencies generally must provide 60 days' notice to impacted workers, so layoff notices issued during a short funding lapse would not take effect immediately. The administration has deemed work administering RIFs exempt from a lapse, permitting some agencies to implement or recall portions of staff.

Read at Nextgov.com