The US federal government is preparing for a sweeping round of job cuts that could impact thousands of federal workers, particularly within the Labor Department. As part of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to shrink the federal bureaucracy, the Department of Labor is expected to slash up to 90% of its workforce in key divisions. The reductions are part of a broader push led by Elon Musk’s US DOGE Service, which is pushing agencies to eliminate jobs in a bid to cut down on perceived waste and inefficiency.
According to internal documents reviewed by The Washington Post, the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), which enforces equal employment opportunity laws, is set to experience the most dramatic cuts. The department plans to reduce its staffing from nearly 500 employees across more than 50 offices to just 50 employees at only four offices. These cuts will focus on ensuring the office meets its minimum legal obligations, effectively reshaping its structure and priorities.
Major cuts at the Labor Department
The Labor Department’s proposed restructuring is just one element of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to streamline government operations. As reported by The Washington Post, the office’s reductions are aimed at curtailing activities deemed non-essential while preserving core functions necessary for compliance with federal laws. However, the scale of these layoffs is raising concerns about the ability of the office to maintain its effectiveness in enforcing equal opportunity standards.
In addition to the cuts at the Labor Department, other agencies, including the General Services Administration (GSA), are also bracing for significant workforce reductions. GSA has already informed its staff that mass layoffs are imminent, with a focus on eliminating underutilized positions. As part of the broader effort, the administration has directed agencies to submit plans to reduce their staffing levels, with a March 13, 2025 deadline for submission. The White House has emphasized the need to “eliminate waste, bloat, and insularity” from the federal government, a directive that has resulted in widespread restructuring across various departments.
Impact on federal workers
The sweeping nature of these cuts has created uncertainty among federal workers, many of whom are facing the prospect of job losses. “This is going to be bad,” said one anonymous source, referencing the anticipated layoffs and the potential for widespread disruption. As The Washington Post reported, more than 3,600 federal employees have already filed appeals with the US Merit Systems Protection Board in response to job terminations, underscoring the backlash against the administration’s plan.
While the layoffs are positioned as a necessary step to reduce government inefficiency, they are likely to lead to significant disruption in the services provided by these agencies, particularly the Labor Department’s efforts to monitor equal opportunity laws. The coming months will reveal the full extent of the impact on both federal employees and the public services they provide.
