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The shrinking federal government — in D.C.

Mar 15, 2024
For years, there have been more federal workers based outside the nation’s capital than in it. That trend picked up during the pandemic.
"From February 2020 to January 2024, federal government employment in the District of Columbia, D.C. proper, fell by 2%,” said T.J. Lepoutre at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Even a government non-shutdown comes with serious costs

Jan 19, 2024
Federal workers still have to prepare for a potential shutdown weeks in advance in addition to (or instead of) their regular duties. Waiting for a budget also has another price: the erosion of the public's trust in government.
The continuing resolution passed by Congress isn't exactly a win for anyone — it just keeps funding at around the current amount for a bit longer.
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

After the shutdown, debt may linger for federal employees

Feb 7, 2019
Missing two paychecks led many of them to take on debt to pay bills. Odds are they'll be paying it off for a while.
Furloughed federal workers and those aligned with them protest the partial government shutdown in the Hart Senate Office Building Jan. 23, 2019 in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee/Getty Images

Coming back to work after the shutdown

Feb 6, 2019
It was a bittersweet return for one government contractor.
"Financially and emotionally, I can't shoulder another month, another 8 percent income reduction, for the government to get their act together," Sunny Blaylock says.
Courtesy of Sunny Blaylock

The shutdown will impact GDP, but individual workers will bear the brunt

Jan 24, 2019
The White House has estimated that the partial government shutdown will reduce economic growth in the U.S. by 0.13 percentage points for every week the government remains closed. Speaking on CNBC yesterday, Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, said those effects would be temporary. “We will get it all back,” he said, once […]
Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, arrives outside the White House to speak with reporters in December.
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Creditors may go easy on workers caught in the government shutdown. Or not.

Dec 28, 2018
The hundreds of thousands of federal workers who are not getting paid because of the partial government shutdown got a little advice from the government’s Office of Personnel Management today. Tips include how to talk to credit card companies, mortgage lenders and landlords about not being able to pay their bills. The OPM put out […]

Government unions face a big court challenge

Feb 23, 2018
The decision could mean a lot less money for unions that represent state and local workers.
Wendy Smith, president of AFSCME Local 558. 
Nancy Marshall-Genzer

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Trump to call for slashes to the federal workforce

Apr 12, 2017
The federal hiring freeze may be ending, but there's a big stipulation attached.
President Donald Trump speaking during a meeting about the federal budget in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C. back in February.
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Feds push to increase probation period for new hires

Jan 26, 2016
It comes despite existing recruitment struggles for government jobs.
Staff and members of congress exit the Capitol building in Washington D.C. 
Mark Wilson/Getty Images