Exclusive: In Wake Of Shutdown Spending Deal, Dozens Of Foreign Service Employees Face New Layoffs Despite Government Resumption

WASHINGTON – The State Department continues to move forward with its previously announced workforce reductions despite a new spending deal passed by Congress. Hundreds of affected federal employees have received formal notice that their layoffs will proceed as originally scheduled.

The administration has confirmed these dismissals via direct communication sent this week, notifying Foreign Service personnel whose Reduction in Force (RIF) notices were issued earlier this year. According to the memo obtained from internal State Department channels, the separation date for those receiving RIF notices on July 11th is now Friday, December 5.

“The continuing resolution passed by Congress does not require reversal of any layoff notice already issued,” confirmed a department spokesperson after reviewing guidance documents prepared before the spending measure was finalized. The legal determinations from both OMB and Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel have preemptively addressed this issue, ensuring that prior decisions remain unaffected.

This date change maintains the previous plan despite some agencies reconsidering their approach due to funding constraints. Originally scheduled for November 10th during the shutdown period itself, the final implementation now extends into early December.

State officials further acknowledged reviewing administrative paperwork associated with these dismissals, specifically addressing errors in recently issued SF-50 forms that document federal personnel actions. While not commenting on individual cases, department representatives stated they were “commencing and executing” their layoff process according to established procedures before the lapse occurred.

In contrast to other government agencies affected by the shutdown spending compromise, State has maintained its original timeline for over 1,300 employees who received RIF notices in July. This includes approximately 1,100 civil service staff and nearly 250 Foreign Service officers whose positions were eliminated during the partial government closure.

Meanwhile, union leaders including those from AFSA have announced they will pursue legal action against this implementation of what they consider an inappropriate policy change. “This administration’s actions contradict current funding law which explicitly prohibits carryout of layoffs while appropriations remain suspended,” declared AFSA officials regarding their planned response to the department’s continued enforcement measures.

The situation highlights differing interpretations of the recent continuing resolution, which has been implemented by some agencies as a narrow procedural measure rather than an opportunity for broader workforce adjustments.