OMB Orders RIF Plans Ahead of Shutdown

The White House Office of Management and Budget has directed federal agencies to prepare reduction-in-force (RIF) plans ahead of a possible government shutdown if Congress fails to pass funding by the end of September. The memo instructs agencies to identify programs whose discretionary funding would lapse, have no alternative funding, or are “not consistent with the President’s priorities,” and to issue RIF notices to all employees working on affected programs — including those who might otherwise be excepted or furloughed. Agencies must plan to retain only the minimal number of staff legally required to perform statutory core functions even if appropriations are later restored. The memo lists core functions that would continue — including Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, military operations, law enforcement, ICE, CBP and air traffic control — and warns that programs without mandatory appropriations would “bear the brunt.” Officials say the step is a sharper escalation from past shutdown protocols because RIFs could permanently eliminate positions and lead to mass layoffs, and the move has provoked partisan backlash with the White House defending the action and Democrats and unions condemning it.