WASHINGTON — On Thursday, the Trump administration escalated its extensive campaign to reduce the size of the federal workforce, currently the largest employer in the United States. A new directive from federal agencies mandated the dismissal of nearly all probationary employees who had not yet obtained civil service protection, which could impact hundreds of thousands of individuals.
Furthermore, employees in certain agencies received alerts regarding significant upcoming workforce reductions.
The decision affecting probationary workers, who typically occupy positions for less than a year, originated from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which functions as the HR department for the federal government. This information was verified by a source who wished to remain anonymous as they were not authorized to disclose such details publicly.
Disturbingly, even individuals within the personnel office faced layoffs: many probationary employees at OPM were informed during a conference call that they were being terminated and were instructed to vacate the premises within 30 minutes. This action is perceived as the initial phase in a broader scheme of workforce reductions. President Trump had previously signed an executive order urging agency heads to prepare for extensive workforce cuts.
Elon Musk, granted considerable latitude to minimize government expenditures through his new Department of Government Efficiency, expressed on Thursday the necessity of eliminating entire federal agencies. During a video conference at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Musk remarked, “I think we do need to delete entire agencies as opposed to leave a lot of them behind. If we don’t remove the roots of the weed, then it’s easy for the weed to grow back.”
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, criticized the administration’s approach, claiming it “abused” the probationary status of workers to execute politically motivated mass firings. He asserted that these dismissals were not performance-related but targeted individuals employed prior to Trump’s administration.
The recent order expanded upon prior communications from OPM, which had indicated that probationary employees should be terminated if they were failing to meet established standards. Although it is unclear how many federal workers are currently in probationary status, OPM’s data as of March 2024 indicated that approximately 220,000 workers had less than a year of service.
The dismissals began earlier in the week and included employees from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education, where at least 39 individuals were reported as terminated on Wednesday. These layoffs affected various roles, including those related to civil rights, special education, and student aid.
The cuts also extended to researchers at the Department of Veterans Affairs who were engaged in critical work on issues such as cancer treatment and opioid addiction. U.S. Senator Patty Murray expressed dismay at the developments and stated that VA researchers were abruptly ordered to cease their projects not due to a lack of necessity, but because of decisions made by Trump and Musk.
Additionally, the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility group indicated that layoffs of probationary staff could severely affect the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, which struggles with recruitment for required positions at slaughterhouses.
The total civilian federal workforce, excluding military and postal employees, comprises around 2.4 million individuals. Approximately 20% of these workers are situated in the D.C. area, while over 80% reside in regions outside the capital.
Experts warn that layoffs will not result in substantial savings to offset budget deficits. The Congressional Budget Office previously determined the government’s annual expense on civilian employees to be approximately $271 billion, with about 60% attributed to those working in defense, homeland security, and veterans affairs.
Even if the government were to eliminate all civilian workers, it could still incur a deficit exceeding $1 trillion, particularly as tax revenues struggle to cover the growing costs associated with Social Security and Medicare.
Elaine Kamarck, a Brookings Institution senior fellow, critiqued the decision to target probationary employees, noting it unfairly affects younger workers. “Baby Boomers are retiring right and left, so actually the people you want to keep are probably most of the people who are right now on probation,” she asserted, highlighting that these individuals are likely to possess valuable skills.
Trump’s strategy to downsize the workforce previously included a deferred resignation initiative, often likened to a buyout, which incentivized employees to resign by compensating them until September 30. While around 75,000 individuals signed up for the program, the actual take-up was lower than anticipated, prompting Trump to suggest further actions.
Employees from the National Science Foundation and the Housing and Urban Development Department were also informed this week about considerable layoffs, with some facing reductions of up to 50% in their workforce, as relayed by an anonymous source.
The executive order enacted by Trump specified that non-mandatory government functions would be prioritized for cuts, with hiring restricted to one new employee for every four departures. Moreover, most new hires require approval from a representative of Musk’s department, thereby extending the influence of his office.
Trump has publicly commended Musk’s efforts to reduce federal expenditures, and he has notably criticized federal workers, particularly those advocating for remote work arrangements. Despite these criticisms, the administration is simultaneously working to decrease federal office space and terminate numerous worksite leases.
“Nobody is gonna work from home,” Trump asserted. “They are gonna be going out; they’re gonna play tennis; they’re gonna play golf; they’re gonna do a lot of things. They’re not working.”
