The government has shut down. Federal workers are gearing up for mass firings.

"The US government has shut down, andfederal workers' jobs are once again on the chopping block. Republican and Democratic lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on a plan to keep the government funded past September 30. While the GOP controls Congress and the White House, passing a funding bill requires 60 Senate votes under current rules, meaning some Democrats need to be on board."

"In the hours before the shutdown, some agencies sent emails to their employees blaming Democrats for blocking a funding deal. A Department of Defense worker said their office won't be affected by furloughs, so they're not too worried. Meanwhile, a Department of the Interior employee said that the threat of terminations is weighing on workers, and another federal employee said that while they've dealt with the threat of imminent shutdowns before, just to have them averted at the last minute, this time feels different."

On October 1 the federal government shut down at 12:01 a.m. Agencies received an OMB memo directing them to consider permanently terminating employees in programs not aligned with the President's priorities. Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a funding agreement by September 30, and Senate rules require 60 votes to pass a funding bill. Federal workers face potential firings rather than the temporary furloughs common in past shutdowns. Some agencies sent emails blaming Democrats for blocking funding. Federal employees reported anger, fear, indifference, and uncertainty about the threat of terminations. Some offices, such as parts of the Department of Defense, expect limited impact.

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