Government Shutdown Looms: Agencies Scramble as RIF Feasibility Questioned

With a potential government shutdown just days away, federal agencies are grappling with a White House directive to prepare for further reductions in force (RIFs). The Trump administration has taken an unusually aggressive stance on shutdown preparations, issuing a memo Wednesday night instructing agencies to plan for additional RIFs if government funding lapses early next week.

However, the feasibility of implementing such complex and time-consuming RIF plans on such short notice is being widely questioned. Typically, RIF processes can take months, making it challenging for agencies to comply with the last-minute directive.

This new Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo follows earlier directives from the Trump administration this year to reduce federal employee headcounts, emphasizing the elimination of non-statutorily mandated functions. While many agencies have scaled down their workforce, some, like the IRS and GSA, have reversed initial cuts after realizing they were too severe.

The latest OMB guidance specifically targets employees in programs facing funding lapses or those not aligned with the President’s priorities. It also mandates that RIF notices be issued to all impacted employees, regardless of their shutdown status (excepted or furloughed). While the memo suggests that additional RIFs may not be necessary if a shutdown is averted, it still encourages agencies to proceed.

Bobby Kogan, a former OMB official from the Biden administration, has raised concerns about the legality and practicality of conducting last-minute RIFs, whether before or during a shutdown. Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.), have condemned the OMB memo, calling it “mafia-style blackmail” and questioning its legal basis, especially during a shutdown.

The unprecedented nature of this OMB directive makes its actual implementation uncertain. Experts suggest that while RIFs might not occur during a shutdown, agencies are likely compiling lists of potential candidates, highlighting a trend of rushed personnel decisions that may overlook congressional authorizations and essential services.

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