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They were told they’d move on. A year later, many fired federal employees say they haven’t been able to
Government Executive ^ | 27/5/26 | Sean Michael Newhouse

Posted on 05/28/2026 7:07:52 AM PDT by Eleutheria5

As part of its effort to downsize the federal workforce in February 2025, the Trump administration conducted a mass firing of thousands of agency employees in their probationary periods, which generally last for the first year after a worker has been hired by or promoted within the government. Such staffers have weaker civil service job protections.

In September 2025, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled that the removals were unlawful. He didn’t order agencies to reinstate affected employees, however, due to an earlier Supreme Court decision and because, as he put it, “The terminated probationary employees have moved on with their lives and found new jobs.”

So, a group of former probationary employees sought to find out if their colleagues had, in fact, “moved on.” Between February and March, they conducted a survey of more than 300 individuals impacted by the firings, representing 12 federal departments as well as 43 states and one territory.

The results show that many fired probationers haven’t found new jobs, are experiencing poor mental health and remain concerned about their former agencies’ effectiveness with reduced workforces.

Unemployment

The most frequent answer to a question in the survey asking how long it took to find a new job was “still unemployed.” Relatedly, around 80 participants reported that they have submitted more than 100 job application

.....

(Excerpt) Read more at govexec.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: doge; moveon; waah; yourefired
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Boo freakin' hoo. Woody Guthrie, thou shouldst be living in this day!
1 posted on 05/28/2026 7:07:52 AM PDT by Eleutheria5
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To: Eleutheria5

So the fact they have no employable skills shows it was right to get rid of the deadwood.


2 posted on 05/28/2026 7:08:54 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: Eleutheria5

Lear to mine coal.


3 posted on 05/28/2026 7:09:48 AM PDT by Bubba_Leroy (Our long national nightmare is over!)
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To: Eleutheria5

The arrogance is strong in these parasites.


4 posted on 05/28/2026 7:10:09 AM PDT by blackdog (The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.)
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To: dfwgator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z6OEqc0uS0&list=RD8Z6OEqc0uS0&start_radio=1


5 posted on 05/28/2026 7:10:30 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 ("America can be summed up in one word: Asmpfutehehepfpfutehe")
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To: Eleutheria5
The results show that many fired probationers haven’t found new jobs, are experiencing poor mental health and remain concerned about their former agencies’ effectiveness with reduced workforces.

They'll have to retrain themselves.

Education and nursing need workers but it'll require them to do actual work. And no remote work, either.

6 posted on 05/28/2026 7:12:23 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: Eleutheria5
Pore feller./s


7 posted on 05/28/2026 7:12:45 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 ("America can be summed up in one word: Asmpfutehehepfpfutehe")
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To: Eleutheria5

Thanks to lots of downsizing due to AI, the job market sucks for lots of White Collar workers right now.


8 posted on 05/28/2026 7:13:18 AM PDT by FLT-bird
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To: dfwgator

They are finding out that the market will pay according to the skills, experience and attitude of the job seekers, whatever their backgrounds. It is quite possible that those laid off had been grossly overpaid with benefits not commensurate with their jobs as would be in the private sector. The market has a way of leveling out things and it is probably stating that a lot of those laid off are going to have to settle for much less.


9 posted on 05/28/2026 7:14:23 AM PDT by laconic
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To: Eleutheria5

When your skills are very narrow ones, because they were mostly bureaucratic, you’re going to be unemployed somewhat longer than usual.

YOu’ll have to do what everybody else has to and retool.


10 posted on 05/28/2026 7:14:42 AM PDT by Jonty30 (He spent a week hunting a mammoth, just because I said I was hungry. He's such a good friend. )
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To: Bubba_Leroy

“Lear to mine coal.”

LOL.


11 posted on 05/28/2026 7:14:58 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 ("America can be summed up in one word: Asmpfutehehepfpfutehe")
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To: Bubba_Leroy

Lear to mine coal.


They wouldn’t last five minutes.


12 posted on 05/28/2026 7:15:58 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: Jonty30

Deign to do manual labor of some sort. Take off that fancy purple shirt and striped tie, and bend over in an honest cause.


13 posted on 05/28/2026 7:16:34 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 ("America can be summed up in one word: Asmpfutehehepfpfutehe")
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To: Eleutheria5
thousands of agency employees in their probationary periods, which generally last for the first year after a worker has been hired by or promoted within the government

So the Autopen administration hired and promoted thousands of employees who are otherwise unemployable as the Autopen was heading out the door.

14 posted on 05/28/2026 7:17:04 AM PDT by Bubba_Leroy (Our long national nightmare is over!)
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To: Eleutheria5

There’s always male prostitution. I’m sure in DC there are a lot of “takers”.


15 posted on 05/28/2026 7:17:11 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: Bubba_Leroy

Or lear to kode.


16 posted on 05/28/2026 7:17:11 AM PDT by BipolarBob (Call my personal secretary, Jennie, at 867-5309.)
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Sounds like a personal problem, if they can’t move on. All the rest of us are expected to, why are they special?


17 posted on 05/28/2026 7:17:44 AM PDT by curious7
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To: Eleutheria5

If you’ve put in 100 applications you should get an average of 2.5 HR interviews. Not hiring manager interviews, HR.

If you’re over 200 applications you’re likely to have 1-2 offers tops.

So if you’re only applying to 100 jobs that’s not enough.

(This is data from LinkedIn)


18 posted on 05/28/2026 7:17:48 AM PDT by packagingguy
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To: dfwgator

Supply exceeds the demand, and those damned illegal aliens will do it for less!


19 posted on 05/28/2026 7:19:23 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 ("America can be summed up in one word: Asmpfutehehepfpfutehe")
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To: Eleutheria5

Work at Walmart to start over. If an immigration can come to America, with nothing, and make it, the bureaucrats have no excuse, except age if they are in their 50’s. But they should have their pension to help by that time.


20 posted on 05/28/2026 7:19:26 AM PDT by Jonty30 (He spent a week hunting a mammoth, just because I said I was hungry. He's such a good friend. )
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