How many federal workers have been laid off under the Trump administration?

The February Employment Report, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows that the federal workforce decreased by 10,000 last month. This stands in contrast to data from the previous year, where the number of federal workers expanded by 9,000. However, this figure might be a small fraction of all the layoffs that have impacted public sector workers since President Trump’s return to Washington.

Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement services company, provided a significantly higher estimate, reporting that around 62,000 federal workers had been laid off in February, according to a March 6 report.

Not all of these workers were fired—some may have left voluntarily or accepted a buyout. Data on the exact number of layoffs will be available next month through the February Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the meantime, the January JOLTS report provides useful context by establishing a baseline for typical turnover. In February 2024, of the 33,000 federal workers who were “separated” from their jobs, only 6,000 were officially laid off.

The challenge of calculating layoffs

Recent announcements indicate that layoffs continue across multiple federal agencies. Most notably, the U.S. Department of Education has confirmed plans to reduce its workforce by half, resulting in approximately 2,183 job cuts. A press release on Tuesday, March 11, stated that “impacted department staff will be placed on administrative leave beginning Friday, March 21.”

However, not all employees who receive termination notices will ultimately be removed from the government’s payroll. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that, effective March 12, it would reinstate “all terminated probationary employees in pay status and provide each with back pay from the date of termination.” The department is also developing a phased return-to-duty plan, ensuring that all affected employees continue receiving pay in the meantime.

This follows a pattern seen in other agencies. Reports from the Associated Press and CBS News revealed that approximately 2,000 Department of Energy employees—some responsible for guarding the nation’s nuclear arsenal—were abruptly dismissed. However, within weeks, all but 28 were asked to return to their posts.

Layoffs continue despite pushback

While some agencies have reversed their layoffs, others have held firm. In February, the Department of Veterans Affairs fired 2,400 probationary employees. Secretary Doug Collins defended the move, stating that the cuts were necessary and would “not hurt VA health care, benefits, or beneficiaries.” However, with some of the affected employees being veterans themselves, Democratic leaders in Washington have raised concerns about the broader impact on the veteran community.

Adding to the uncertainty, some agencies have announced major restructuring plans that could result in future job losses. For instance, on Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed it would be downsizing from ten regional offices to just four, though it did not specify how many positions would be eliminated.

What’s next?

The wave of federal layoffs is expected to continue. Speaking to business leaders on Tuesday, President Trump justified the cuts, claiming that many employees were being fired because they had stopped showing up to work. However, as evidenced by the chaotic rollout of these layoffs, the administration appears to be casting a wide net, sometimes without fully considering the implications.

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