Walking into a federal building at the start of 2026 feels different. There is a lot of empty desk space. If you've been following the headlines about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the "Fork in the Road" emails, you know the federal workforce just went through its biggest shakeup since the post-WWII demobilization.
People want a straight answer: how many federal employees have lost their jobs?
Honestly, it depends on who you ask and how you count "lost." If you’re looking for a single, clean number, the closest thing we have comes from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Their data through late 2025 shows a net loss of nearly 220,000 federal positions.
But that's just the net change. The total number of people who actually walked out the door is much higher.
The Raw Data: Separations vs. Layoffs
More than 322,000 employees have left the federal government since January 20, 2025. That is a staggering number. It represents about 11% of the entire civilian workforce.
Now, did they all get "fired"? No.
The administration used a mix of tactics that made the "loss" feel like a slow-motion collapse for some and a sudden trapdoor for others. According to data analyzed by The Washington Post and FEDweek, only about 11,000 to 13,000 workers were victims of direct, involuntary layoffs (formally known as Reductions in Force, or RIFs).
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The rest? They were nudged, bribed, or exhausted into leaving.
The "Fork in the Road" Exodus
The biggest drop-off happened in October 2025. This was the deadline for the "Deferred Resignation Program." Basically, the administration told workers: "Quit now, and we’ll pay you through September. Stay, and you might lose your protections anyway."
About 179,000 people took that deal.
It was a gamble. For many, it felt like being asked to jump off a ship before it hit an iceberg. For others, it was a golden parachute they were happy to grab. But the result was the same: a massive brain drain in agencies that keep the gears of the country turning.
Which Agencies Were Hit the Hardest?
It wasn't an even split across the board. Some departments were trimmed with a scalpel; others were hit with a sledgehammer.
The Department of Defense (DoD) saw the largest raw number of departures. We're talking over 61,000 employees gone. While the administration focused on hiring for "warfighting" roles, the civilian tail—the people managing logistics, supply chains, and maintenance—shrank significantly.
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Then you have the Department of Education. This one was ideological. President Trump promised to eliminate it, and while that requires Congress, he managed to squeeze out about 40% of its staff. Nearly 700 of those were actual layoffs, not just buyouts.
A Quick Look at the Numbers:
- Veterans Affairs (VA): Lost 24,700 employees. This has led to some pretty hairy reports about wait times for healthcare.
- Agriculture (USDA): Lost over 11,000 people. Specifically, food inspectors left in droves, which is kinda terrifying if you enjoy eating meat that's been checked for salmonella.
- Social Security Administration (SSA): Lost about 25% of its IT management. If you've tried to call them lately and sat on hold for three hours, now you know why.
- USAID: Almost entirely wiped out. The administration moved to abolish the agency, and most of the workforce was laid off or resigned.
The Maryland Effect: A Case Study in Local Pain
You can't talk about federal job losses without looking at the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area. Maryland Governor Wes Moore recently released some pretty sobering stats. His state alone lost nearly 25,000 federal jobs in 2025.
That’s 6% of the state’s total employment.
When that many high-paying jobs vanish, it ripples. Local delis close. Real estate cools off. It’s not just a "bureaucracy" problem; it’s a local economy problem. Maryland’s unemployment rate ticked up from 3.8% to 4.2% in just two months because of these federal cuts.
Why the Spending Didn't Actually Drop
Here is the weird part. You’d think firing 220,000 people would save a ton of money.
It didn't.
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An analysis by the Cato Institute pointed out that federal spending actually increased in 2025. Why? Because most government money doesn't go to salaries. It goes to Social Security checks, Medicare, and interest on the debt. Salaries only make up about 8% of the budget.
Plus, the administration started a massive hiring surge for ICE and the Border Patrol, adding over 12,000 new agents. So, while they were clearing out "policy" people at the EPA or Education, they were writing big checks for law enforcement and deportation logistics.
What Happens in 2026?
We aren't out of the woods. The "Schedule F" (now often called Schedule Policy/Career) reclassifications are still happening. This allows the President to turn protected career jobs into "at-will" positions.
If your job description involves "policy," "confidentiality," or "advocacy," you’re likely in the crosshairs.
Also, keep an eye on the probationary employees. A directive from OPM in early 2025 made it much easier to fire anyone who has been on the job for less than a year. They don't even need to provide evidence of poor performance; they can just say you "failed to demonstrate fitness."
Actionable Steps for Federal Employees and Contractors
If you are still in the system or looking to get back in, the rules have changed. It's a "perform or perish" environment, but with a political twist.
- Document Everything: If you're a career fed, keep a personal log of your performance wins. If a RIF (Reduction in Force) notice hits your desk, your retention standing depends on your last three years of ratings. Don't let a "forced distribution" cap on top ratings sink your career.
- Watch Your PD: If your Position Description (PD) is being rewritten to include more "policy-making" language, you might be getting prepped for a Schedule F reclassification. Consult a union rep or a federal employment lawyer immediately.
- Check Your "Service Computation Date": In a layoff, seniority matters. Make sure the HR system has your military buy-back time or previous service correctly calculated. A mistake of six months could be the difference between staying and going.
- Pivot to "Essential" Roles: The administration is hiring in law enforcement, border security, and specific defense sectors. If you were in a "DEI-adjacent" or "Climate Policy" role, those jobs are essentially extinct for the next few years.
The era of the "safe" government job is over. Whether that’s a good thing for efficiency or a disaster for stability is still being debated in the courts, but for the 277,000 people who have disappeared from the payrolls since January 2025, the debate is already settled.