As of February 27, the Trump administration has set a firm deadline for federal agencies to finalize their plans for significant workforce reductions by March 13. These layoffs, termed reduction-in-force (RIF), are part of a broader initiative to streamline government functions and eliminate roles deemed unnecessary. Notably, some agencies have already begun issuing RIF notices or have outlined their forthcoming plans.
It's crucial to note that these impending layoffs are distinct from the previous mass firings of probationary employees, which resulted in at least 25,000 workers losing their jobs. For further insights into these firings, you can check our comprehensive tracker.
The push for workforce reductions stems from an executive order by President Trump, coupled with directives from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The agencies have been instructed to prepare for the “maximum elimination” of functions that are not mandated by law. Agencies are advised to initially target employees whose roles are not legislatively required and who are susceptible to furloughs during government shutdowns, which could encompass approximately a third of the federal workforce—around 700,000 employees.
Additionally, federal agencies are expected to implement wholesale eliminations of certain offices and significantly cut back on regional offices across the nation. Below, we provide a breakdown of the departments and agencies that have confirmed RIFs or are on the brink of implementing them.
Defense Department: The Defense Department is poised to issue RIFs affecting between 5% to 8% of its civilian workforce, translating to as many as 61,000 employees. Included in this workforce reduction are 5,400 probationary employees who will be terminated.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): While RIFs had not commenced at the EPA as of last week, President Trump indicated during a cabinet meeting that he anticipates a reduction of approximately 65% of the workforce, amounting to nearly 11,000 employees. An EPA spokesperson did not confirm this figure but stated that the agency is actively seeking efficiencies in its operations.
General Services Administration (GSA): The GSA has already issued RIF notices to certain employees within its Office of Human Resources Management and Office of Customer Experience. Significant cuts are also expected in the Public Building Service and other divisions.
Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD): HUD has sent out RIF notices to all employees in its Office of Field Policy and Management at the General Schedule-13 level and below, with layoffs scheduled for May 18. Further RIFs across the department are anticipated shortly.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM): As the lead agency in orchestrating the government-wide workforce reduction, OPM has already distributed RIF notices to its Office of Procurement Operations and communications staff, impacting dozens of employees.
Social Security Administration (SSA): The SSA has closed two offices—namely the Office of Transformation and Office of Civil Rights. Currently, employees from these offices are on administrative leave and have not yet received RIF notices. However, SSA's acting Administrator Leland Dudek has plans to lay off 7,000 employees in total.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): The Trump administration is effectively shutting down almost the entire USAID, having already issued RIF notices to nearly all of its 2,000 U.S.-based employees. Many overseas staff members are currently on administrative leave and are expected to receive RIF notices soon.
As more information becomes available regarding these workforce reductions, we will continue to provide updates. If you have insights or experiences related to these developments, please reach out to our reporters.
Contact Information:
Eric Katz: ekatz@govexec.com; Signal: erickatz.28
Sean Michael Newhouse: snewhouse@govexec.com; Signal: seanthenewsboy.45
