Workers nationwide expressed frustration and bewilderment on Friday as the Trump administration actively pursued a reduction of the federal workforce by directing agencies to terminate probationary employees lacking civil service protections. Although much of the government’s focus was directed at dismantling the bureaucracy in Washington, this extensive initiative was having a larger impact on employees throughout the country. As layoff notices began circulating from various agencies, federal employees across states such as Michigan and Florida were left stunned by the news of their terminations.
The firings have created chaos; some employees received layoff notifications despite having accepted the administration’s deferred resignation offer, which included payments until September 30 for those who chose to resign. This raised concerns regarding the potential firing of others who had also signed similar agreements. On Friday, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) acknowledged the possibility of erroneous termination notices being sent out, confirming that buyout agreements would still be honored. “This situation has been slash and burn,” said Nicholas Detter, who worked as a natural resource specialist in Kansas before being abruptly terminated via email on Thursday evening. He criticized the government’s lack of consideration for the workforce’s emotional and operational impacts.
Details regarding the exact number of probationary employees dismissed remain unclear, as neither the White House nor OPM provided figures. However, data previously reported indicated that 220,000 workers had been in probationary status as of March 2024. OPM has instructed agencies to finalize layoff notices by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, according to an anonymous source familiar with the operations.
These layoffs mark the latest phase in what the administration refers to as efforts to streamline the federal workforce, directed notably by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. Following Trump’s executive order on Tuesday, agency leaders were told to expect, “large-scale reductions,” a call to action prompted after their earlier voluntary buyout initiatives failed to attract sufficient responses, gathering only 75,000 volunteer participants.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, for example, announced on Thursday that over 1,000 employees with less than two years of service would be let go, a decision that included researchers focused on critical areas like cancer treatment and burn pit exposure, according to Senator Patty Murray. Additionally, several employees from the Education Department, including specialists in special education, received layoffs. Nearly 1,300 employees from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were also impacted, representing approximately ten percent of that agency’s entire workforce.
Newly appointed Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins indicated on Friday that her department welcomed the initiatives guided by Musk’s team and noted that more layoffs would be on the way. “Clearly, it’s a new day,” she stated at the White House, reinforcing the belief that the American public supported a smaller government, as evidenced in the recent elections.
Impacted employees shared their concerns regarding the abrupt terminations. Andrew Lennox, a former Marine now serving at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Michigan, reported receiving a sudden email notification late Thursday regarding his job loss. “In order to help veterans, you just fired a veteran,” he remarked, expressing distress over the situation. The VA stated that the dismissals would save the department over $98 million annually and purportedly allow for better services to veterans.
David Rice, a disabled Army paratrooper, also learned of his dismissal in a similar manner after believing his position was secure. He had been working on health matters related to radiation exposure at the Department of Energy but was taken aback when he logged in for a meeting and found notification of his termination. He critiqued the administration’s methods, voicing agreement on the objective of government efficiency but discontent with the chaotic execution.
Some affected employees had previously accepted buyout agreements expected to shield them from termination. Detter, who had accepted an offer from the Agriculture Department, felt disregarded and disillusioned upon receiving his layoff notification despite previously positive evaluations. He illustrated the struggles of his department, noting how it directly contributes to maintaining the health of American farmland.
As the administration faces criticism, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) and other organizations filed a lawsuit asserting the terminations were unlawful. NTEU President Doreen Greenwald warned that removing trained probationary employees would severely disrupt agency functions already grappling with staffing shortages due to prior budget cuts.
On Friday, an advocacy group filed a complaint requesting an investigation into the mass layoffs, questioning the adherence to federal employment practices. Protests erupted outside federal buildings as labor activists rallied against the workforce cuts. The dissent was echoed by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who stated that indiscriminate cuts would not contribute to efficiency or resolve the federal budget issues.
While the layoffs aim to address accountability, they are not projected to yield substantial savings toward the federal deficit, which remains a pressing issue. With the federal workforce costing around $270 billion annually, slashing jobs across agencies will likely not alter the overall financial landscape. Economic experts caution that the fallout from these job losses could be evidenced in negative hiring trends soon, marking a potential slowdown in job growth that hasn’t been observed since late 2020 during the pandemic recovery phase.
Those dismissed argue that the consequences will extend beyond their employment status, impacting the very communities and individuals they serve. Rice, echoing their sentiments, emphasized that their work held vital importance in assisting those in need.
