Federal layoffs drag down state employment gains for second month, new numbers show
Supporters cheer for federal workers who lost their jobs at the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., in a photo from March 28, 2025. (Photo by Jess Daninhirsch/Capital News Service)
Maryland added around 4,900 new jobs in April, but labor officials said those gains were dragged down by a loss of 2,600 jobs in the federal workforce in the same month.
The Maryland Department of Labor reports that mass federal layoffs and other actions by the Trump administration are 'tempering the state's overall jobs growth,' according to new data released Wednesday. The federal impact was even sharper in March, when the state's 2,300 new jobs were eclipsed by the loss of 2,700 federal jobs for the month.
'April's report is the second to reflect actions taken by the new federal administration that impact federal employees and contractors, including reductions in force (RIFs), terminations of federal contracts, and grant cancellations,' according to a state Department of Labor press release Wednesday.
And the March and April numbers may not even show the full scope of the problem in the state's federal workforce, the department said.
'The April jobs report does not reflect the most recent RIFs, employees who were placed on administrative leave or who accepted 'buyout' offers and are still being paid, federal employees who selected deferred retirement, or the ongoing tariff situation,' the department statement said.
March was the first month that Trump layoffs began showing up in the state's data.
'Layoffs among federal workers and contractors are impacting every county in Maryland,' Labor Secretary Portia Wu said in written statement Wednesday. 'These workers have dedicated their careers to public service and they are an incredible asset to our state, so it's essential that we do everything that we can to support them.'
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Maryland's preliminary unemployment rate rose to 3.1% in April, up slightly from a flat 3% in March.
The Maryland unemployment numbers come as the Trump administration continues its push to bring down federal spending by slashing the federal workforce, among other things. The result is hundreds of thousands of federal workers suddenly without jobs over the last few months – many of whom live in Maryland.
About 269,000 Maryland residents are employed by the federal government, as of late March data. Maryland has the nation's second-largest share of residents who work for the government, trailing only Washington, D.C.
And Maryland has another 225,000 federal contractors – reflecting about 10.5% of the state's total gross domestic product in 2023, according state data. As the Trump administration cuts down on federal spending, some state contractors are also in danger of being on the chopping block.
Wu said in a recent interview that federal unemployment claims are at a 'significantly higher level than what we typically see' and noted that the state has not seen the full scope of impact due to layoffs and other moves in the Trump administration.
She said getting a full scope of the impact on the state is also challenging: Some workers who live in Maryland may file unemployment documents with Washington, D.C., or nearby states, for example. Ongoing lawsuits challenging federal layoffs can also muddy the picture by temporarily ordering jobs restored.
Maryland federal contractor layoffs increase as Trump slashes federal spending
'Many people don't file for unemployment right away,' Wu said. 'With all the litigation, maybe they haven't lost their job yet, or have taken some kind of administrative leave or delayed layoff or a separate situation.'
According to May 10 data, the Maryland Labor Department had received more than 1,600 federal unemployment claims since the start of the Trump administration.
Some of the federal workers who have been laid off are finding refuge in Maryland agencies. A communications official with the Department of Labor reports that since February, 150 former federal workers have landed a job with a Maryland state agency.
'We have a bunch hired in our own agency,' Wu said. 'We know that there are a lot of talented people out there and we're excited to welcome them to state government.'
The labor department is not the only Maryland agency picking up laid-off federal workers. Others include the departments of Health, Human Services, Public Safety and Correctional Services, Education and Information Technology, the Office of the Attorney General and the Comptroller of Maryland.
'They are in a very broad range of roles – from administration and program management to health, IT, and legal fields. This includes experts in specialized and technical positions, such as information systems auditor, GIS (Geographic Information Systems) analyst, natural resources biologist, veterinarian and hydrographic engineer,' according to a labor department official.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
16 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Bolton Says the US Mission in Iran Is Not Done Yet
John Bolton, former National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump, talks about the attack against Iran, how Iran could respond and the prospect of a wider war in the Middle East. He is on a special edition of "Balance of Power." (Source: Bloomberg)
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump blasts Thomas Massie on Truth Social, threatens to primary NKY congressman
Donald Trump and Republican Thomas Massie are continuing to butt heads as the president berated the Northern Kentucky congressman in a recent Truth Social post. Much like he did in May, Trump once again called Massie a "grandstander' in the June 22 post after the representative of Kentucky's 4th Congressional District has repeatedly opposed the administration's policies. "Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is not MAGA, even though he likes to say he is. Actually, MAGA doesn't want him, doesn't know him, and doesn't respect him. He is a negative force who almost always Votes 'NO,' no matter how good something may be." Trump wrote in the Truth Social post. "MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague!" The two share a complicated history, with Massie upsetting Trump the first time in 2024 after Massie initially endorsed candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during his 2024 presidential bid, though he did endorse Trump just days before the election. Massie also publicly opposed Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," on Instagram in May, stating that it will add $20 trillion of federal debt over 10 years. Trump's most recent social media reaction followed Massie's fiery response on X to his administration's announcement of the bombings in Iran, calling the act "unconstitutional". Massie went on to say: "When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that's an act of war. I'm amazed at the mental gymnastics being undertaken by neocons in DC (and their social media bots) to say we aren't at war… so they can make war." Massie recently joined Ro Khanna, D-Calif., in introducing a resolution that would block U.S. involvement in the conflict between Iran and Israel without congressional approval. Massie's stance drew a rebuke from Trump himself, who wrote in the June 22 post that Massie is "weak, ineffective" and "disrespectful to our military." Trump again promised to back a Republican primary challenge to Massie. Previously, Massie told The Enquirer, "I think every time that I've made my case to the people, even if it's been contrary to what the president wanted at the time, it's eventually worked out for me. And so I'm going to stick with doing what I think is right and making my case to the people." Massie represents almost two dozen counties in and around Northern Kentucky. All of those counties voted for Trump in the past three presidential elections. But while other GOP politicians have lost reelection after losing Trump's support, Massie has dominated every election cycle since he took office in 2012. He was primaried by two candidates in 2024 and beat them with about 76% of the vote. Enquirer reporter Jolene Almendarez contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Trump fires back at Rep. Thomas Massie in newest Truth Social post
Fox News
36 minutes ago
- Fox News
Extra: Deliveries, Taxis, War … And The Future Of Drones
The White House says President Trump's executive orders on drones, signed earlier this month, will 'unleash American drone dominance.' It directs the Federal Aviation Administration to expedite the development of new rules governing the operation and flight paths of unmanned aircraft systems. It will also loosen some regulations, create new ones, and attempt to integrate drones into air traffic more effectively. Michael Healander is the founder and CEO of the drone operations management company, Airspace Link. He was on the White House call about the executive orders. Healander joined FOX News Rundown host Chris Foster to discuss the new rules and how drones may be used in the future, including package deliveries and air taxis, also known as flying cars. We often must cut interviews short during the week, but we thought you might like to hear the full interview. Today on FOX News Rundown Extra, we will share our entire interview with Airspace Link CEO Michael Healander, allowing you to learn even more about the incredible future of drones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
