GSA Recalls Hundreds Amidst Trump Shutdown Layoff Threats

Despite ongoing threats from the Trump administration to lay off thousands of federal employees if Congress fails to end the current government shutdown, one agency is taking a contrasting approach: the General Services Administration (GSA) has begun reinstating hundreds of previously laid-off employees, ensuring they remain on the job and paid during the fiscal lapse.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified Monday that President Donald Trump’s Sunday night remarks about layoffs referred to the hundreds of thousands already furloughed since the shutdown commenced on October 1st. Leavitt reiterated the administration’s stance, stating that if a deal isn’t reached, federal workers will miss their next full paycheck, with OMB actively planning for thousands of potential layoffs if the shutdown persists.

However, the GSA is moving in the opposite direction. On Monday, it brought back hundreds of employees to manage its vast government-wide real estate portfolio, rescinding reduction-in-force (RIF) notices issued months prior. Many of these reinstated Public Buildings Service (PBS) employees are expected to continue working and receive timely pay, thanks to the agency’s use of ‘no-year’ carryover funds that allow for sustained operations.

GSA’s updated contingency plans exempt over 3,000 PBS employees, constituting a majority of that workforce, from the shutdown. Overall, about 64% of GSA’s 10,700+ employees are exempt, relying on carryover and non-appropriated funds. While federal buildings generally remain open for employees during a shutdown, GSA’s role in protecting federal property and providing critical support to other agencies necessitates its continued staffing. The agency anticipates making next month’s rent payments for leased office space but would halt new leasing projects and the disposal of underutilized federal buildings.

The agency’s ability to maintain operations, including lease payments, hinges on the duration of the shutdown and the availability of its carryover funds. Should the shutdown be protracted, the number of exempt employees could decrease, and some might transition to ‘excepted’ status, meaning they would work without immediate pay until the shutdown concludes.

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