What a Trump Presidency Means For Workers

It was Martin Luther King Jr. Day yesterday! We know your feeds were likely full of some of his great quotes, but here’s one of my favorites that feels especially meaningful this week:

Here’s to keeping our backs straight for the next 4 years, and fighting the good fight!

How Trump’s Presidency Could Impact Workers

In times of political transition, workplace policies and labor rights are often among the first to change. With Donald Trump’s return to the political stage, his proposed initiatives and policies could profoundly affect federal workers and the services they provide.

Let’s break down the key areas to watch, what’s at stake, and what’s next.

Return to Office

Hours after being sworn in, Trump signed an executive order mandating all federal employees return to their respective duty stations on a full-time, in-person basis.

This order affects 228,000 federal workers who telework, 15% of which work in the nation’s capital and the remaining 85% of which are spread across the U.S. in major cities like Dallas, making this a nationwide issue.

The forced return to office presents several key issues:

1. It challenges COVID-era remote work policies that many employees - particularly those with disabilities, including veterans - have come to rely on. 

2. Many agencies have reduced their office space post-pandemic, or have no office space at all as they left expensive office leases in recent years due to remote work improving productivity and being more cost-efficient (the irony).

Civil Service Protections

Trump allies have also resurrected the controversial “Schedule F” proposal. This policy aims to strip civil service protections from many federal workers, making it easier to replace long-serving employees with political loyalists.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk—who chairs the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—has supported these cuts, suggesting that rolling back telework policies will cause a “wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome.”

Experts warn that the aggregate effect will be a weakened federal workforce and lower-quality government services, potentially jeopardizing core safety and social security functions.

The Broader Impact

Beyond the immediate effects on federal workers, these policies risk creating ripple effects across the U.S. economy. Federal agencies handle critical functions ranging from public safety to health oversight, and a mass exodus of skilled employees could lead to operational failures, delayed services, and reduced trust in government institutions.

Moreover, the return-to-office mandate could undermine workforce diversity and inclusion, as remote work options have made federal employment more accessible to individuals with disabilities and caregivers.

What’s Next for Workers?

The road ahead is fraught with legal battles, policy debates, and potential disruptions. As these policies unfold, staying engaged and advocating for fair labor practices will be essential to ensuring a balanced and equitable future for the federal workforce.

Workers and advocates must remain vigilant, informed, and ready to mobilize to protect their rights and the integrity of public service. Need help? Reply here or send us an email at [email protected] 💌

Did you know that single workers in the US faced a net average tax rate of 24.2% in 2023, meanwhile the wealthiest individuals and biggest corporations paid less (or nothing at all)?

That’s why we’re partnering with Unrig Our Economy, because workers deserve a fairer tax code, and billionaires shouldn’t be getting even more tax breaks this year!

Let’s level the playing field. Show your support for a fairer tax code here. 

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This is a paid partnership with Unrig Our Economy.

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