The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continues to slash U.S. government jobs. Elon Musk, who serves as an unpaid special government employee, has led the effort. President Donald Trump urged him to shrink a federal workforce that he calls bloated and sloppy.
Who is most affected?
Probationary employees are typically those who have less than one or two years of employment in their current positions. They are often the first to be let go.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforces tax laws, processes tax returns, and audits taxpayers to ensure their tax returns are correct. At this time, 6,700 IRS staff members on probation are being fired.
The Department of Health and Human Services will lose about 5,200 such workers.
The Pentagon announced it will fire 5,400 staffers.
The Forest Service employs people who manage public forest lands. Their work includes planting trees, trail upkeep, and guarding against fires. The agency lost 3,400 workers on probation.
Hundreds of weather forecasters and other National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration probationary workers lost their jobs on Thursday.
Some agencies must make huge cuts to stay afloat. The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides funds to retirees, those who are widowed, and people with disabilities. But it faces a looming bankruptcy date. Insufficient resources mean its trust funds will not be able to pay full benefits beginning in 2035.
The SSA must cut half of its workforce in Washington and at least half the workers in regional offices. The DOGE website states that leases for dozens of Social Security sites across many states have been or will be ended.
States with the most federal workers expect more cuts. About 20% of nonmilitary federal workers are in the Washington, D.C., area. Other regions with high levels of federal staffers are in Oklahoma, Alaska, Alabama, and New Mexico.
Many employees say their letters of termination cited “inadequate performance” as the reason for firing even though they received good reviews from their bosses.
Legal groups have filed lawsuits on behalf of some probationary workers. Federal employee unions have also sued the government over the mass firings.
The U.S. government currently has $36.22 trillion in federal debt. It is vital to cut costs and waste. It is also important to treat image-bearers with dignity and to preserve programs that serve the American people well. Pray our government leaders and agencies will make careful decisions about staffing and money management.
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. — Proverbs 3:13-14
