March 2025 witnessed a near-record high in announced layoffs, driven primarily by the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) federal job cuts, exceeding all months except April and May 2020. The 275,240 total reductions included 216,215 federal furloughs, a 672% year-over-year increase. While other employment metrics remain relatively stable, the Washington D.C. area experienced a substantial impact, with 278,711 announced layoffs year-to-date. Agencies like the Veterans Affairs, IRS, and Treasury are projected to experience significant further job losses.
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President Trump’s appearance at a Georgia town hall for Representative Rich McCormick sparked intense backlash from constituents. Attendees heavily criticized McCormick for supporting the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency and its resulting widespread federal layoffs, including 77,000 accepting buyouts since January. One attendee directly challenged McCormick’s support for the administration, calling Trump a “megalomaniac” and questioning his unchecked power. McCormick’s attempts to deflect criticism by referencing President Biden’s power were met with boos. The event highlighted deep public discontent with both the administration’s policies and McCormick’s alignment with them.
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The Trump administration dramatically expanded its termination of federal probationary employees, instructing agencies to proceed with layoffs impacting thousands across various departments. These actions, targeting employees with fewer job protections, followed earlier dismissals and a shift in guidance from initially focusing on underperforming workers. The firings, delivered via email, video calls, and letters, cited reasons ranging from performance concerns to workforce optimization initiatives. Union representatives strongly condemned these actions, citing a lack of evidence of poor performance and alleging politically motivated dismissals. The dismissals are expected to significantly impact public services and national safety.
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The Trump administration plans widespread federal layoffs, beginning soon after a February 6th deadline for employees to accept a deferred resignation offer. This offer allows voluntary departure with pay through September 30th, but has been met with strong union opposition and a subsequent lawsuit. While OPM is proceeding with the plan, threatening job loss for non-participants, they have added an early retirement incentive for eligible older workers. The layoffs, excluding postal workers, military, and certain other personnel, could affect a significant portion of the approximately 2.4 million federal employees.
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John Q. Hosedrinker