Government employees, share your experiences with us, CNN invites you to speak out
During the second term of President Donald Trump's administration, a series of transformative actions were taken that had a profound impact on federal workers.
One of the most notable changes was the significant reduction in the federal workforce. By late April 2025, the administration had executed a large-scale downsizing effort, resulting in approximately 58,000 confirmed cuts, over 76,000 employee buyouts, and more than 148,000 other planned reductions [2].
To oversee this ambitious workforce reduction, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was established within the administration. This task force was tasked with cutting government spending and reducing bureaucracy, and it played a central role in the mass layoffs of civil servants, directly affecting career federal employees [1].
The changes extended beyond the numbers, affecting the employment status and attendance policies of federal workers. Early in the term, some employees, such as those at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), found themselves on leave and then temporarily rehired, indicating a volatile employment landscape [1].
Career civil servants were particularly affected by the administration's aggressive workforce reductions and organisational changes under the DOGE initiative. Many experienced layoffs or buyouts as part of efforts to shrink and restructure the federal workforce [1][2].
In addition to the layoffs and buyouts, the administration encouraged employees to take early retirement or voluntary separation incentives, aiming to restructure and decrease the size of the federal workforce [1][2]. Agencies under the Trump administration were also directed to perform major reductions in workforce [2].
As the changes unfolded, staffers were required to return to full-time office work under the Trump administration, marking a shift from the remote work arrangements that had become commonplace due to the COVID-19 pandemic [1]. Furthermore, the administration made it simpler to dismiss certain career civil servants, raising concerns about job security among federal employees [1].
CNN is seeking to speak with federal workers who have been affected by these changes to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences. If you are a federal worker and would like to share your story, please use the form provided below to reach out.
[Form for reaching out to CNN]
[Deferred Resignation Package Information]
- The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established during President Donald Trump's second term, played a significant role in implementing policy-and-legislation that led to a profound reduction in the federal workforce, affecting health-and-wellness and workplace-wellness.
- Amidst these changes, general-news outlets such as CNN are seeking to interview federal workers who have been impacted by the administration's transformative actions, particularly those who have experienced layoffs, buyouts, or voluntary separations, to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences.
- Another noticeable aspect of the administration's ambitious workforce reduction was the encouragement of employees to take early retirement or voluntary separation incentives, which fell under the broader policy-and-legislation for health-and-wellness and policy-and-legislation for science, as career civil servants were predominantly affected.
