02.15.25

Mass Civil Servant Layoffs Harm Vital Work Washingtonians Depend On

Trump Admin arbitrarily fires as many as 200k federal employees, hindering or even halting ongoing projects & programs; Layoffs include personnel at HHS, DOE, VA, Dept. of Ag, and mor

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the Trump administration announced it would recommend mass layoffs across the federal government, which could total as many as 200,000 federal workers across multiple agencies.  The full scope of the mass firings is still emerging, but the administration is reportedly targeting federal employees who lack full civil service protections and appeal rights because they do not have these protections, not for performance reasons.

Said U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA): “The Trump Administration is trying to illegally cut the federal workforce in an attempt to come up with a budget and tax increases on middle class Americans, all while giving $4 trillion in tax breaks to corporations and the wealthiest individuals. Our deficit and essential programs like Medicaid can't take the Trump hack job.  

The Trump Administration is also leaving Americans’ data exposed while he is doing it. What is he going to do next that will make it easier for Americans to be spied on?"

The layoffs include personnel who work in Washington state, or who work on projects and programs vital to the people in the state. Potentially impacted agencies include:

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):

Approximate number of layoffs nationwide: 5,200 agency-wide, including 1,300 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Initial reports from the Indian Health Service (IHS) also indicate that these firings include 850 IHS employees, including 90 physicians, 350 nurses, at least 25 nurse practitioners, nearly 20 dentists, 43 dental assistants, more than 85 pharmacists, 45 lab technicians, and more than 15 service area chief executives or their deputies.

Vital projects or programs in the state that could be threatened: In 2023, Washington state received almost $1.3 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. Any delays or reductions in NIH funding could threaten the 12,000 jobs that this funding supports, especially for our major research centers like University of Washington, Washington State University, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

Over 70% of CDC’s funding goes directly to state, local, Tribal, and territorial health departments and partners. CDC also fills critical public health staffing gaps for states, counties, cities, and at Tribal levels, including sending highly trained “Disease Detectives” to states for outbreak responses. Without this support, states will face significant public health workforce shortages limiting critical public health programs that ensure our food, water, and communities is are safe. In 2023, Washington state received $13.3 million from the CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness Fund. This funding is vital for Washington state’s ability to respond to emerging bio threats like the avian flu.

The Department of Energy (DOE):

Approximate number of layoffs nationwide: 2,000 agency-wide, including 200 (6%) at Bonneville Power Administration, 325 at the National Nuclear Security Administration, and fewer than 10 at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. At this time, the number of impacted employees at Hanford remains unclear.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA):

Approximate number of layoffs nationwide: 800 from USDA Agricultural Research Service and 3,400 from USDA Forest Service (roughly 10% of the entire USFS).

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

Total approximate number of layoffs nationwide: Over 1,000, though the VA says no one has been fired who supports direct benefits or services for veterans and their beneficiaries.

The Department of the Interior (DOI):

Approximate number of layoffs nationwide: 2,600 agency-wide, including 118 from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 800 from the Bureau of Land Management, and potentially up to 1,700 from the National Parks Service.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

Total approximate number of layoffs nationwide: 4,800 (roughly 50% of HUD workforce), including 786 (84%) of Community Planning and Development, 438 (76.5%) of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, and 148 (75.5%) of Policy Development and Research.

Small Business Administration (SBA):

Total approximate number of layoffs nationwide: 720 (20% of agency’s workforce).

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

Total approximate number of layoffs nationwide: 1,700 received warning emails.

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