The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) is already pushing back against the guidance, calling it politically motivated and saying that companies are not likely to be protected — particularly from civil lawsuits — if they fail to notify their employees in time.

“Instead of working to bring his party in the Senate to the negotiating table to resolve sequestration, the president is focused on preventing advance notice to American workers that their jobs are at risk and on perpetuating uncertainty,” said HASC Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.).

The House and Senate have both passed the Sequestration Transparency Act, which requires the Obama administration to detail the impact of sequestration on the federal government at least 30 days after the bill is signed into law.