Federal workers are facing layoffs as the Trump administration moves forward with plans to downsize the government. The first wave of cuts is targeting recently hired employees still on probationary status. There were around 220,000 federal employees with less than one year of service and 288,000 with one to two years of service in March 2024. President Trump’s executive order directs agencies to prepare for large-scale layoffs to reduce government spending, which accounted for around 3% of the federal budget in 2024.

The Department of Energy has already begun firing probationary employees without notice or severance, citing performance reasons despite many employees performing well. The Office of Personnel Management suggested using a template for the firings, but the energy department omitted the performance reason. Probationary employees at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management were also terminated for not accepting a deferred resignation offer.

At the Department of Education and General Services Administration, probationary staff received termination notices, causing distress among employees. The Small Business Administration had a confusing notification process, initially sending termination emails in error and then confirming terminations later. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau faced issues with termination letters due to a failed mail merge, leading to the dismissal of approximately 73 probationary employees.

The layoffs have created chaos and uncertainty at various federal agencies, impacting hundreds of employees. The affected workers express dismay and fear of retribution, highlighting the emotional toll of these actions on individuals dedicated to public service.