They staffed federal agencies in D.C. and around the country, working on issues ranging from special education to weather monitoring.
All got paid by taxpayers. Now that they’ve been sacked, they say they can no longer spend.
Axed workers among the thousands fired by DOGE say they can’t afford necessities, travel and health care. Many say they are no longer pumping money into local economies by going out to dinner.
They’re cutting back on groceries. Canceling nights out with friends. Even cutting back ‘healthcare for my pets.’
The workers who filed affidavits as part of a multi-state lawsuit say they are spending less at local bars and restaurants, if they are going out at all.
A California employee fired from the FDIC, which insures bank deposits, told of being fired by a manager, then getting an email saying the worker had not ‘demonstrated that your further employment at the FDIC would be in the public interest.
Now, the worker is unemployed, and has applied for California unemployment benefits.
‘I have had to cut back on healthcare costs and discretionary spending. I am pushing off the new purchase of new contact lenses and not booking overnight travel for my kids’ weekend soccer tournaments in nearby San Diego and Orange counties. I am having to give serious thought to budgeting since unemployment benefits cannot cover the cost of my mortgage,’ said the fired fed.
The affidavit said the employee had ‘superior performance’ and got a raise in January. It was a common complaint.
A Minnesota worker at the Small Business Administration who is a retired Air Force Staff Sargeant got fired even after ‘positive reviews’ during performance appraisals.
‘This was my dream job. I am a former small business owner and was recruited from private sector doing financial advising to take this job. I was fired after eight months on the job which creates questions on my resume and was before I could develop lasting relationships in the community about my qualifications if I were to seek another job.
‘This termination basically drove a stake through career goals. Moreover, as someone who has served this country, the termination has forever identified me as a failure and put a black mark on my record.’
All the affidavits were filed with a lawsuit that Maryland and a group of impacted states filed against the Agriculture Department and other agencies. The identities of the workers have been redacted. So have some of the work assignments, as was the case of a Minnesota VA employee who had served on a Navy destroyer who got terminated over ‘performance concerns’ despite being told by a direct supervisor that they were ‘performing well.’
The statements on economic impact were meant to buttress the state AGs who claim that the firings are impacting their own state coffers and provides grounds to sue to challenge firings they call unlawful.
On Thursday, a federal judge in California ruled that thousands of fired provisional employees must be reinstated, in a significant blow to President Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE efforts. The White House called the ruling ‘absurd’ and indicated an appeal was coming.
Trump and Musk say the cuts are needed to cut out waste and fraud. But the fired employees said the job losses have been hurting their own bottom lines.
One Education Department employee got ‘no reason for my termination’ from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services.
The commuter used to pay for parking and lunch at a D.C. office. Now, ‘I will need to scale back my spending significantly’ in Maryland, one of the group of states that is suing over the firing of ‘provisional’ employees. The worker was often in DC at ‘restaurants, bars, clubs, and museums.’
‘I am in the process of building a new house in Maryland and if I do not find a new job soon, I may not get approved for my mortgage or be able to afford mortgage payments,’ said the ex-worker.
A fired Interior Department employee got an email saying they had ‘failed to demonstrate fitness or qualifications for continued employment because your subject matter knowledge, skills, and abilities do not meet the Departments’ current needs.’
According to an affidavit filed with the lawsuit, ‘I can no longer afford to support the local economy in the same way … I am spending less on groceries, not eating out at restaurants, and spending less on recreational activities.’
The agency letter said ‘the Department has determined that you have failed to demonstrate fitness or qualifications for continued employment’ for the same ‘fitness or qualifications’ reasons.
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employee in Delaware is no longer able to take in the ambiance of the local bar. ‘I am unable to contribute to local restaurants and businesses that I regularly patronize,’ said the worker, who focuses on groceries and a mortgage.
A fired Labor Department employee who lives in Maryland says they are ‘disabled and pay someone to hep me around the house a couple hours per week, something I can now no longer do.’
An Air Force vet fired from U.S.A.I.D. went into details about curbed spending.
‘I have canceled plans to eat out at restaurants and order delivery, and will need to drive outside of the city to Maryland or Virginia for cheaper groceries. I will likely not renew my fitness memberships and class passes after February, and have to cut down on all other recreational expenses, dissuading me patronizing any establishments for gatherings with my friends and community members. I also will likely have to put off upcoming healthcare needs for my pets.’