The Trump administration this week ramped up its efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce by ordering agencies to lay off nearly all probationary employees who had not yet gained civil service protection. It could affect hundreds of thousands of workers, and certain agencies have been put on notice that more cuts are on the way. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that told agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions in force.” Then Elon Musk, who Trump has tasked with slashing government spending through leading the new Department of Government Efficiency, called Thursday for the elimination of whole agencies. These efforts are sending shock waves through the D.C. region, which is home to tens of thousands of federal employees.
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“I’m scared. We’ve been contractors for 20 plus years and I’ve never seen anything like this.” That worker, who requested anonymity, told WTOP she and her husband are both contractors, so there is double worry in their house. “I have a chronic level of anxiety. We’ve weathered the storm before. There have been furloughs and government shutdowns,” she said, adding this feels different. “We’ve always managed to make it through, but I’m just not so sure we will this time.” And Mary Stevanus is a retiree who is not sure if the future of her retirement is safe. “What unnerved me is going after the Department of Treasury’s payroll system. I get my retirement from Treasury. I’m concerned about that.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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