If you’ve been scrolling through your news feed lately, you’ve probably seen some pretty wild headlines about the "gutting" of the federal workforce. People are talking about it like it’s a total mass exodus. But then you hear other folks saying it’s just a standard "right-sizing."
So, what is the real number? Honestly, it depends on how you define "fired."
Between the start of 2025 and the end of that year, the federal government shrank by about 317,000 workers, according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). That is a massive chunk of the roughly 2.3 million civilian employees who were on the payroll when the year started. But here is the kicker: the vast majority of those people weren't actually "fired" in the way we usually think about it.
The Reality of How Many People Have Been Fired From the Federal Government
When most people ask how many people have been fired from the federal government, they are looking for the number of people who were told to pack their desks and leave against their will.
The data from OPM Director Scott Kupor, released in December 2025, clarifies that about 24,000 separations were truly involuntary. Within that group:
- 17,000 were the result of formal Reductions in Force (RIFs). These are the official layoffs.
- 7,000 were probationary employees who were terminated.
Wait. Only 24,000?
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Yep. If you compare 24,000 to the total 317,000 who left, it's a tiny fraction. Basically, for every one person who was "fired" or laid off, about twelve others left on their own terms.
Where did the other 293,000 go?
The bulk of the departures came from something called the "Deferred Resignation Program" (DRP). This was basically a "fork in the road" offer pushed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). About 144,000 employees took this deal. They agreed to leave early in the year but kept getting paid through September.
Then you’ve got another 129,000 people who left through "routine attrition." That's just people retiring naturally or quitting for a better job in the private sector. Another 21,000 took early retirement or buyouts.
The Agencies Hit the Hardest
Not every department felt the squeeze the same way. Some agencies basically looked like ghost towns by the end of 2025, while others barely changed.
The Department of Education was the biggest target. It lost about 40% of its staff. Around 700 people there were officially laid off, but the rest just... left. It's a similar story at the Department of Agriculture (USDA), which saw over 21,000 departures.
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Check out how the numbers shook out for some major agencies:
- Veterans Affairs (VA): About 30,000 people left by the end of FY2025.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS): Roughly 30,000 employees departed.
- Department of Defense (DOD): A staggering 55,000 workers left the civilian side.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): While the raw number was lower (around 388), it represented a huge percentage of their specialized scientific staff.
The VA is a weird case. They were originally talking about laying off 83,000 people. It caused a huge panic. But by July 2025, the VA announced they wouldn't need a large-scale "Reduction in Force" because so many people had already quit or retired.
Why the "Fired" Numbers are So Controversial
There is a lot of legal drama behind these stats.
For one, the OPM recently changed how they report data in the "FedScope" system. They used to have a clear category for "Termination or Removal for Discipline/Performance." Now? They’ve lumped that in with "Other Separations," which also includes people who died.
Transparency advocates, like the Partnership for Public Service, are pretty annoyed about this. They argue it makes it way harder to see if the government is using disciplinary firings as a political tool.
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The Performance Rating "Squeeze"
There's also a new rule that changes how managers rate employees. In the past, about 99% of federal workers got a "satisfactory" or higher rating.
Not anymore.
The new system basically forces a bell curve. Only a small percentage (around 5% in some agencies like the National Park Service) are allowed to get the top "Outstanding" rating. If you get a level one rating (Unacceptable), supervisors can now fire you without the long, multi-level review process that used to be required.
What Happens Next?
If you're a federal employee or looking to become one, the "Great Downsizing" isn't over. While the massive waves of 2025 have settled, the focus has shifted to automation and privatization.
Actionable Insights for Navigating the Current Landscape:
- Monitor Your Performance Rating: Since managers now have "quotas" for low ratings, you need to document your wins meticulously. Don't wait for your annual review to show your value.
- Understand Your RIF Rights: If you are in a "competitive service" position, you have specific "bumping" and "retreating" rights. This means if your job is cut, you might be able to take a different job from someone with less seniority.
- Watch the "Return to Office" (RTO) Mandates: A lot of the "voluntary" departures happened because people didn't want to commute back to D.C. full-time. If you're looking for a federal job now, expect 100% in-person requirements in most agencies.
- Look at "Rehire" Opportunities: Interestingly, some agencies (like the IRS and the NNSA) realized they cut too deep and are actually rehiring people they just let go. If you were part of a RIF, keep an eye on USAJOBS for "reinstatement eligible" postings.
The bottom line? The number of people truly "fired" is much lower than the rumors suggest, but the number of people who felt they had to leave is higher than we've seen in decades. It’s a complete transformation of the civil service.