Mass Federal Workforce Exodus Leaves Agencies Struggling
More than 150,000 federal employees are leaving the US government payroll this week after accepting buyouts, marking the largest single-year departure of civil servants in nearly eight decades. Unions and governance experts warn that this loss represents not only a sharp reduction in staff but also a major blow to institutional knowledge.
Wave of Resignations Begins
The official resignations began on Tuesday for employees enrolled in a deferred exit scheme, which kept them on the payroll through September. The buyouts are central to former President Donald Trump’s plan to reduce the federal workforce, combining financial incentives with the threat of dismissal for those who declined.
While many workers effectively left their agencies months ago, this week marks their formal departure. According to experts, the biggest impact will be the brain drain caused by the loss of highly experienced staff. Don Moynihan, professor at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy, explained that years of knowledge are now being lost.
Key Services Under Pressure
The buyouts have disrupted critical government functions, including food safety, weather forecasting, health programmes and space projects. At the National Weather Service, nearly 200 employees accepted buyouts, leading to the loss of both meteorologists and technical staff who maintain forecasting equipment.
Tom Fahy, legislative director of the National Weather Service Employees Organization, said the disruption has hit offices nationwide. In response, a spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration insisted jobs are being filled as needed to protect public safety and taxpayer money.
NASA has also been hit hard, with nearly 4,000 employees departing. Union leader Matt Biggs said the agency is losing some of the world’s most brilliant engineers and scientists, and replacements are not keeping pace. However, NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner stressed the agency remains focused on future exploration missions, including the moon and Mars.
Financial Cuts and Wider Impact
The buyouts form part of a broader Trump administration drive to cut the federal workforce by around 300,000 employees this year, or 12.5% of staff. Officials claim the moves will save $28 billion annually, though these figures remain unverified. Despite the large numbers, the impact on national unemployment will be minimal, as federal workers make up less than 1.5% of all payroll jobs.
However, the consequences for individual agencies are significant. At the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, roughly 1,200 employees resigned, including specialists in detecting dangerous fungal toxins in grain. Union representatives warn this creates gaps in crucial food safety work.
Health agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are also losing staff. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed 10,000 cuts across the department. Insiders claim the losses have slowed essential public health work, including tobacco prevention programmes.
Growing Concern Over ‘Brain Drain’
Despite official reassurances, unions and policy experts argue that the damage to expertise is already visible. The exit of so many specialists is leaving gaps in areas from food safety to aerospace research. With more departures expected, many agencies may find it increasingly difficult to deliver services effectively to the American public.
with inputs from Reuters