Hirono, colleagues introduce legislation to bar mass layoffs during government shutdown

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Hawai’i Democrat, and several of her fellow Democratic senate colleagues, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, introduced a measure that explicitly prohibits the federal government from laying off, firing or furloughing employees during a lapse in funding.

So in other words, it wouldn’t allow the feds to cut jobs if the government gets shut down again.

The Securing Assurance for Federal Employees — or SAFE — Act also would reverse reduction in force actions taken during the current government shutdown, which is now in its 38th day.

“Trump is using [reductions in force] as a political tool to punish hardworking federal workers and their families during this Republican shutdown, sowing chaos for hundreds of thousands of people,” said Hirono in an announcement about the newly introduced legislation. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to combat this administration’s lawlessness and protect the jobs and livelihoods of crucial federal employees.”

The SAFE Act is in response to recent efforts by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to initiate thousands of job cuts during the ongoing shutdown — an unprecedented step that a federal judge already said appears “politically motivated,” illegal and “arbitrary and capricious.”

More than 4,000 federal employees received notices beginning in early October.

While the court temporarily blocked these actions, the threat remains for many other federal employees serving the American public without pay during this shutdown.

Current law does not permit agencies to conduct workforce cuts during a lapse in appropriations. This bill reaffirms and makes explicit Congress’ intent that no administration can use a shutdown as a pretext to initiate layoffs.

The SAFE Act also makes clear that such actions have no legal force and ensures federal workers cannot be targeted for job cuts during a funding lapse.

The legislation is endorsed by the:

• American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.
• American Federation of Government Employees.
• American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees.
• International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers.
• National Education Association.
• National Federation of Federal Employees.
• National Treasury Employees Union.
• Service Employees International Union.

Hirono and her Democratic associates Schumer of New York along with Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia ands Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland led the the charge to introduce the SAFE Act.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Andy Kim of New Jersey and Ron Wyden of Oregon.

Full text of the legislation is available here.