The Trump administration is making significant cuts to the federal workforce, impacting both new and career employees across various agencies. Thousands have been laid off, with probationary workers being particularly vulnerable. The White House's 'deferred resignation' proposal was blocked by a federal judge, and agencies are facing large-scale reductions in force.
Thousands of federal government employees have been shown the door in the first month of President Donald Trump's administration as the White House and its Department of Government Efficiency fire both new and career workers, tell agency leaders to plan for 'large-scale reductions in force' and freeze trillions of dollars in federal grant funds. It is affecting more than just the national capital region, home to about 20% of the 2.
4 million members of the civilian federal workforce, which does not include military personnel and postal workers. More than 80% of that workforce lives outside the Washington area. There is no official figure available of the total firings or layoffs. The Associated Press tallied how agencies are being affected based on AP reporting and statements from lawmakers and employee unions. The White House offered a 'deferred resignation' proposal in exchange for financial incentives, like months of paid leave, to almost all federal employees who opted to leave their jobs by Feb. 6. But just before that deadline, a federal judge blocked Trump's plan, wanting to hear arguments from the administration and the labor unions, which said the offer was illegal. According to the Office of Personnel Management, about 75,000 federal employees had accepted the offer as of Feb. 12.There have also been wide-ranging layoffs of probationary employees - those generally on the job for less than a year and who have yet to gain civil service protection. Potentially hundreds of thousands are affected. On Feb. 13, the administration ordered agencies to lay off nearly all such workers. According to government data maintained by OPM, 220,000 federal employees had less than a year on the job as of March 2024. On Feb. 13, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees who had served for less than two years. According to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., that included researchers working on cancer treatment, opioid addiction, prosthetics and burn pit exposure. At least 39 people have been fired from the Education Department, including special education specialists and student aid officials, according to a union that represents agency workers. There have also been nearly $900 million in cuts to the department's Institute of Education Services, which tracks the progress of America's students. It is unclear to what degree the institute would continue to exist. Industry experts said at least 169 contracts were terminated Feb. 10. Hundreds of federal employees tasked with working on the nation's nuclear weapons programs were laid off Feb. 13, but that move was largely rescinded hours later, according to a memo obtained by the AP. Three U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation said as many as 350 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration were ousted, with some losing access to email before they had learned they were fired
FEDERAL WORKFORCE LAYOFFS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES DEFERRED RESIGNATION DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMS NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump administration cuts off funding to 7 N.J. organizations helping refugeesOrganizations around the nation that help resettle refugees say they received 'cease and desist' letters from the federal government.
Read more »
Trump Administration Eyeing Budget Cuts to Fund ICE DeportationsThe Trump administration is considering pulling funding from agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Coast Guard to bolster the budget of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This comes amidst a budget shortfall for ICE and the administration's commitment to mass deportations.
Read more »
Trump Administration Considers Funding Cuts to Agencies to Bolster ICE BudgetFacing a budget shortfall, the Trump administration is exploring options to divert funds from agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Coast Guard to bolster Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The administration aims to increase ICE's capacity for deportations, which average around $10,500 per person. This move could potentially lead to backlash due to potential impacts on airport security and other services.
Read more »
Trump Administration Weighs Funding Cuts to TSA, CISA, and Coast Guard to Bolster ICE BudgetFacing a budget shortfall, the Trump administration is exploring options to redirect funds to ICE, including cuts from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Coast Guard. While the administration has the authority to move money within the Department of Homeland Security, these potential cuts could face backlash due to their impact on airport security and other crucial agencies.
Read more »
Chaos and Confusion at the National Nuclear Security Administration Amid Trump Administration FiringsThe National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), responsible for overseeing the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, was thrown into chaos as the Trump administration initiated mass firings that were abruptly paused. Employees were subjected to sudden terminations, with many receiving late-night emails informing them of their dismissal and their access to work emails being cut off. The firings, part of a larger effort to reduce the federal workforce, caused widespread confusion and uncertainty among NNSA staff.
Read more »
Trump Administration Plans to Lay Off at Least 40% of Federal Housing Administration WorkersThe Trump administration is planning to lay off at least 40% of the workers at the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the agency that provides mortgage insurance on loans for people who otherwise wouldn't qualify. The cuts are part of a broader effort by the administration to reduce the size of the federal government workforce.
Read more »