BEREA, Ky. (LEX 18) — Inside Kentucky’s Center for Economic Policy, the concern is growing for the future of federal employees.
“We've already seen some layoffs, some buyouts and there is some fear among federal employees over what may happen,” said the KCEP Executive Director, Jason Bailey.
Bailey said Kentucky has 23,000 federal employees, serving in many roles that are necessary to the commonwealth’s 4,000,000 residents.
“They're employees at National Weather Service offices in Jackson, Paducah and Louisville who provide data for the weatherman. There are also federal employees that provide healthcare to veterans, loans to farmers, and that help people get their social security payments,” Bailey explained.
Bailey said he is not against looking at the efficiency of large organizations, but he feels that blanket firings will have serious unintended consequences.
“Those are the folks that collect taxes, so you could result in less revenue coming in than the savings in salary from laying them off,” he said. “They’d be drawing unemployment, so they’d be spending less at local businesses."
Bailey also noted that recruiting future federal employees would be very challenging if the Department of Government Efficiency moves ahead with its plan. And of current employees, he said the state and country would be losing some very competent people.
“Probationary” employees, who are being laid off because of that status, aren’t necessarily new, or untrained workers.
“People who’ve gotten a promotion and are maybe doing a great job (have a probationary period). If you eliminate a whole category, you’re damaging the ability long-term of having skilled employees to provide those vital services,” Bailey said.
