Firings at US agency foreshadow second wave of mass government layoffs
The Office of Personnel Management is rapidly eliminating entire departments in a move seen as a template for a second wave of mass layoffs in the federal bureaucracy. Career civil service employees, who make up the majority of the 2.3 million-strong civilian government workforce, are being targeted through reductions in force. The process aims to drastically cut the size and cost of the federal bureaucracy.
- This surge in layoffs highlights the deep-seated tension between reducing waste and preserving public services in a sector where bureaucracy can be seen as both necessary for effective governance and a major obstacle to efficiency.
- Will the Trump administration's vision for a dramatically downsized and more agile federal workforce ultimately lead to better service delivery and greater value for taxpayer dollars, or will it exacerbate existing inequalities and social injustices?