The White House has asked federal agencies to prepare detailed plans for mass firings in the event of a government shutdown next week. The order, issued through a memo by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Wednesday, marks a significant departure from the furloughs that have accompanied past shutdowns.

The OMB memo and agency instructions

According to the OMB memo, agencies have been instructed to identify programs, projects, and activities that would lose discretionary funding if Congress fails to pass a spending bill before October 1. “Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown,” the memo stated. Agencies were told to prepare reduction-in-force plans and notify employees of possible job losses. The memo, first

See Full Page