The Trump administration has initiated widespread layoffs of probationary federal employees, marking the first phase of a broader effort to reduce the size of the federal workforce. The move, executed under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, primarily affects workers with less than a year of service who have not yet gained civil service protection.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued directives instructing agencies to terminate these employees immediately, with potential cuts extending to other parts of the government. The layoffs have sparked criticism from labor unions and federal worker advocates, who argue that the cuts target employees based on tenure rather than performance.
Initial Layoffs Target Probationary Workers Across Federal Agencies
The layoffs began earlier this week and have already impacted multiple agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Education, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. According to internal estimates from OPM, around 220,000 federal employees were still within their probationary period as of March 2024. However, the exact number of those affected remains unclear.
According to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a government accountability group, the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is among those hit hardest by the dismissals. The group warns that reducing the number of inspectors could significantly impact food safety oversight.
Union representatives have also condemned the move. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, accused the administration of “abusing” probationary status to conduct a politically motivated purge.
Broader Workforce Reductions and Restructuring Efforts Underway
President Trump’s executive order not only authorizes these initial layoffs but also mandates a significant restructuring of the federal workforce. Under the new guidelines, agencies will be required to limit hiring, with exceptions only for critical roles such as public safety. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, will oversee the process, with Musk advocating for eliminating entire federal agencies.
According to a person familiar with the matter, agencies such as the National Science Foundation and Housing and Urban Development Department have already received internal warnings about potential staff reductions of up to 50%. Employees in these departments were informed that hiring would be restricted to one new worker for every four departures.
Critics argue that the cuts could have long-term consequences. Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, warned that the plan disproportionately targets younger, highly skilled workers at a time when the federal workforce is aging.
“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.They’re younger and presumably have better skills, and that’s who you want ” she said.
