Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Feb 10: Thousands of US federal employees who lost their jobs amid the Trump administration’s sweeping downsizing of the government are finding renewed purpose by transitioning to state and local government roles, continuing their commitment to public service at a different level.
Meghan Burns, a civil rights attorney at the US Department of Education, learned of her termination in March 2025 when her computer restarted at exactly 5 pm, locking her and colleagues out of their systems. In a matter of moments, staff across seven of the department’s 10 civil rights offices were no longer federal employees.
Burns, who had dedicated her entire career to public service, was not ready to walk away. “When I graduated law school, I specifically moved to DC because I wanted to do public service and civil rights-based work. That has been all I’ve done,” she said.
According to the Office of Personnel Management, more than 3.17 lakh federal employees stopped working in 2025 as part of the government downsizing drive. While many took voluntary buyouts or early retirement, tens of thousands were laid off, triggering intense competition for private, nonprofit and public-sector jobs nationwide.
Burns is now serving as Deputy Director of the Maryland Department of Health’s Office of Equal Opportunity Program. “The federal government’s loss is their gain for sure,” she said.
Following the layoffs, states including California, Hawaii, Maryland, New Mexico, New York and Virginia actively encouraged displaced federal workers to apply for state and local positions, with some offering streamlined hiring processes.
Caitlin Lewis, co-founder of Work for America, which helps people find public-sector jobs, said communities have benefited immensely. “It’s been a huge opportunity for communities that have captured really tenured, high-quality talent they would never have accessed otherwise,” she said.
A similar journey was taken by Marc Shaw, 51, who spent 25 years in the US foreign service, including senior roles overseeing arms control, chemical weapons compliance and international law enforcement. After leaving the State Department in April 2025, Shaw returned to his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, where he now serves as Interim City Auditor.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said former federal employees bring rare expertise to local government. “They understand bureaucracy and mission-driven work. Getting that level of experience is not something cities usually have access to,” he said.
Shaw said working for the city has been deeply fulfilling. “I’m closer to the community and can see the direct impact of my work,” he said, adding that the move has also allowed his family to settle closer to home.
Lewis noted that most federal employees are non-partisan civil servants, and the scale of layoffs was unprecedented. Work for America’s Civic Match programme organised job fairs, resume reviews and mental health support to help displaced workers transition. Since January 2025, at least 187 former federal employees have secured state or local government jobs through the platform.
Austin Holland, 39, from Pennsylvania, left the Department of Housing and Urban Development in May 2025 after work-from-home flexibility was withdrawn, making daily commuting unmanageable. He now serves as assistant counsel at the Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Agency.
“I really loved my federal job and felt called to it,” Holland said, adding that state-level work allows him to see the tangible impact of his efforts. “I’m much closer to the direct impact my work has. That’s awesome.”
While the full number of former federal workers who have transitioned to state and local roles remains unclear, officials and policy experts say the shift has strengthened local governance, turning a period of disruption into an unexpected opportunity for communities across the US.