White House threatens layoffs — not furloughs — if the government shuts down

In past government shutdowns, workers have been put on temporary furloughs until funding resumes. This time, the Trump White House is looking for bigger and more permanent cuts, a new memo shows. That could have a big impact on Kansas City, where tens of thousands of federal employees work.

If the government shuts down on Oct. 1, the White House said it will look for ways to use the funding dispute to permanently eliminate some federal workers, rather than just temporarily send them home on unpaid leave.

This proposed "reduction in force" — outlined in a memo obtained by NPR on Wednesday — would be a significant shift from past government shutdowns, when employees have been temporarily furloughed until a budget deal is reached.

The White House Office of Management and Budget told agency