By Anna Helhoski, NerdWallet
Tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired or left since President Donald Trump’s administration began and there are more cuts on the way.
Federal agencies had until March 13 to submit plans for “large-scale reductions in force.” It’s unclear when the results of those plans will result in further layoffs.
The latest Education Department (ED) firings, like the gutting of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), are part of the president’s pledge to trim the federal payroll overall — while targeting some agencies in particular. The official ED announcement ominously called the reduction in personnel the department’s “final mission.” While eliminating a department or agency entirely would take an act of Congress, massive cuts can impede its ability to carry out its legally required functions.
The majority of the firings are being carried out by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, which is led by billionaire Elon Musk — a “special government employee.” As Musk’s team name suggests, the firings are being justified in the name of “efficiency.” DOGE, which is on track to grow to 200 workers, has promised to reduce the size of the government by $1 trillion by the start of the 2025-2026 fiscal year beginning on Oct. 1.
Those reductions could hit numerous departments, including those that have already seen staff cuts. Reuters recently reported that a Veterans Affairs internal memo mentions 80,000 job cuts coming in June. The outlet also reported that another 1,000 layoffs are expected at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which already cut 1,300 workers. In the midst of tax season, the Associated Press reported that the IRS is planning to cut around half of its 90,000-person staff.
How have the courts responded?
At least some of the cuts haven’t held up in court. Earlier in March, a coalition of attorneys general of 19 states and the District of Columbia filed a suit against 18 federal agencies over the mass firing of probationary workers, arguing against the legality of the move. The suit also argues DOGE’s moves will hurt state finances.
Following a hearing of the case, U.S. District Judge James Bredar granted a temporary restraining order and ordered that the federal government reinstate their positions. Bredar said, “This case isn’t about whether or not the government can terminate people. It’s about if they decide to terminate people, how they must do it.”
In a separate case filed in the Northern District of California by the American Federation of Government Employees union, a judge ruled that the firings were not carried out lawfully. The Office of Personnel Management, which functions as the human resources department for the federal government, ordered the firings, which Judge William Alsup said it went against protocol: Agencies must fire workers directly.
This week, some 24,000 probationary employees who were fired have been reinstated to their positions. However, most of the employees were reportedly placed on administrative leave. But on Tuesday, Alsup said that placing reinstated workers on administrative leave was not allowed.
DOGE’s firings have drawn a bevy of other lawsuits and it’s unclear how those will pan out in court. How affected departments will function from here on out, is another issue. But what’s also murky is whether the cuts will have a significant impact on an economy that’s already been shaken by tariffs and other executive actions.
How many federal government workers are there?
The federal government is the nation’s largest employer. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that employment head count in the federal government has remained on a mostly steady level since 2010, with a spike of employment during the Great Recession and the pandemic.
As of November 2024, there were some 3 million federal employees across the U.S., a little less than 2% of the entire U.S. workforce. The 1.3 million active-duty military personnel aren’t counted as federal government employees.
Among those 3 million federal workers, more than 600,000 work for the U.S. Postal Service, an agency that operates independently of the federal government. It’s a public service required by law, but doesn’t receive money from taxpayers; the USPS supports itself with consumer sales. Nevertheless, the USPS said last week it would work with DOGE to slash operating costs and cut 10,000 employees over 30 days by offering voluntary early retirement.
In addition, there are some 3.7 million federal contractors who aren’t counted as federal employees.
How the federal workforce is distributed
Without taking the USPS worker population into consideration, here’s how the remaining federal workers are distributed among departments and agencies, according to 2024 data gathered by Pew Research and published in January. These figures are approximate and don’t take into account recent layoffs.
The Department of Veterans Affairs: 16% Department of Homeland Security: Read More Details
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