I think the shutdown is allowing Trumps team to conduct the reorganization mentioned here:
“virtually all RIF actions are the result of a reorganization”
without consultation or interference from the folks that would otherwise being conducting the same. Said reorganization PLUS the 30 days will then allow the notices to go out.
Most likely the plans were under development for some time and implementation was just held off until the ones running interference were removed by the shutdown.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/government-reform/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Government-Reform-and-Reorg-Plan.pdf
Link to Article with summarization:
“Called “Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century,” the proposal contains many far-reaching recommendations, including:”
Privatizing the Postal Service.
Merging the Education and Labor departments.
Reorganizing safety-net programs into a Department of Health and Public Welfare.
Creating a governmentwide public-private partnership office to improve services to citizens, and stewardship of public resources.
Relocating more staff and offices outside the National Capital Region.
Dramatically shrinking the Office of Personnel Management.
Revamping the Army Corps of Engineers.
“The plan, led by Mulvaney and based on the agency reorganization proposals he assigned governmentwide in April 2017, is also believed to be influenced by long-standing thinking among conservatives that welfare programs should be funded and managed together.”
Congressional response to proposals:
“While the bill is generally viewed as non-controversial, lawmakers included certain restrictions on the Trump administration’s plans to reorganize government. Many of the 32 proposals the White House issued in June have received bipartisan pushback, but the spending package—known as the first “minibus” for fiscal 2019—marks the first effort legislators have taken to formally block those proposals from moving forward.”
(Snip)
“Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director for Management Margaret Weichert has testified to Congress that 10 to 12 of the White House’s proposals would not require congressional approval, though the White House hasn't clarified what those are. The administration is already moving forward with at least one proposal, namely merging the Office of Personnel Management's Human Resources Solutions division with the General Services Administration.”
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Humm. I dunnoh. The RIF would affect the work force in the the different departments. I suppose you could advance the proposals under cover of the shutdown. At the point you publicly announce you are doing a consolidation and reorg and inform the heads of those departments Congress and all the Dem house media outlets start to scream and pee all over themselves. Then, lawyers and courts and all that.
Seems to me that POTUS (may re-election be upon him) formally required Department heads to identify redundancies and re-organize their organizations.
And, wasn’t that re-org report due sometime this month.
Dang, gotta dig that back up. That last part might be wrong...