Compared to Dylan and Springsteen, the country-music legend can seem deeply uncool. It took time for me to appreciate his profound, plainspoken strength.

The Trump administration is moving ahead with more mass firings of federal employees, something it has threatened to do since the start of the government shutdown. Reductions in force are not typical during a government shutdown. During most shutdowns, employees are either working — with or without being paid immediately — or are furloughed, meaning they are not working during the funding lapse. All federal employees typically receive back pay as soon as a shutdown ends, but the Office of Management and Budget has circulated a memo that back pay is not guaranteed for furloughed feds. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought posted on X Friday that “RIFs have begun.” An OMB spokesperson said in a statement that “RIFs have begun and are substantial,” but did not provide additional details. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week that layoffs “likely in the thousands” were being planned by OMB. Just before the shutdown, OMB told agencies to draw up plans for additional RIFs for programs that wouldn’t have alternative funding sources during a lapse in congressional appropriations, and that “are not consistent with the president’s priorities.” This is a developing story and will be updated.The post OMB says ‘substantial’ federal employee layoffs have begun first appeared on Federal News Network.