Maryland Gov. Moore shares resources for federal employees impacted by mass layoffs
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore launched a new website Friday to share resources for federal employees in the state who are being impacted by federal workforce layoffs and changes to federal funding.
The mass layoffs come as the Trump administration continues efforts to cut the size of the federal workforce. On Thursday, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ordered federal agencies to lay off almost all probationary employees who haven't gained civil service protections, CBS News reported.
According to Gov. Moore's office, OPM's order could impact about 200,000 jobs across the nation and thousands in Maryland.
According to CBS News, some agency employees were warned that larger cuts may be on the way.
Mr. Trump has been critical of federal workers since taking office, especially those who work remotely.
"Nobody is gonna work from home," the president said Monday. "They are gonna be going out, they're gonna play tennis, they're gonna play golf, they're gonna do a lot of things. They're not working."
Federal jobs in Maryland
The governor's office estimates there are about 160,000 federal civilian jobs in Maryland, which represents about 6% of jobs in the state.
About 225,000 jobs in Maryland in 2023 were supported by funding from federal contracts, the governor said. Maryland has the second-highest amount of federal employees behind Washington, D.C.
"The White House continues to take actions that jeopardize the livelihoods of our public servants and upend how the federal government can best serve the American people and advance our shared priorities," said Gov Moore. "We still hope we can move in partnership with this new administration to address common goals. But in light of recent actions that are hurting Marylanders, we must step up to defend our people."
Gov. Moore's Maryland Public Servants Resource Website provides information on unemployment insurance, career support, legal resources and an index of rules and regulations. The website will be updated regularly.
Impact on Marylanders
The governor's website is the latest effort by Maryland leaders to assist residents impacted by workforce changes.
Earlier in the month, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown joined 11 other states in warning federal employees against the Trump administration's buyout offer.
According to CBS News, Mr. Trump's buyout offer, or deferred resignation program, was an initial attempt to downsize the federal workforce. The program offered to pay employees until Sept. 30 if they agreed to leave their jobs.
A federal judge allowed the program to proceed and the White House said 75,000 people signed up, CBS News reported.
Howard County responded to the buyout offer by expanding resources for federal workers. County Executive Calvin Ball said there were about 50,000 federal workers in the county who were eligible for the buyout.
The Maryland Department of Labor proposed delaying the start of its Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program amid the push to downsize the federal workforce, saying the "...unprecedented changes at the federal level have given rise to a high degree of instability and uncertainty for Maryland employers and workers."
The state's FAMLI program was set to launch in July 2025 to provide job protection to workers who would have to take time away to care for themselves or a family member.
Employers would have to opt into the program and employees would make contributions to a state-administered fund. The Department of Labor's adjusted timeline would push payroll deductions to January 2027 and would make benefits available in January 2028.
