Chelsea Milburn recalls feeling “fortunate” to secure her dream role as a public affairs specialist with the Department of Education, especially after her life took a turn two years ago due to health issues.

However, like over 228,000 federal employees currently working remotely, Milburn’s position is vulnerable if President-elect Donald Trump goes ahead with his promise to mandate that federal employees return to their offices full-time. She is managing a disability that makes it challenging for her to work at her desk full-time.

Many of the 2.3 million civilian federal employees could face job losses if Trump acts on other campaign commitments to dismantle the Department of Education and reform agencies such as the Justice Department and Health and Human Services.

“It’s not the first time this has been brought up, but it feels more pronounced now,” Milburn shared. She began working remotely for the Department of Education last November after having a similar role with the Navy.

Trump, through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aims to save millions via reorganization and layoffs; however, such restructuring could also lead to unexpected job losses in various areas.

Some may believe federal employees are primarily based in Washington, D.C., navigating through faceless bureaucracies. Yet only about 15% of federal workers are located in the capital, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The other 85% are distributed across major cities like Dallas and state capitals such as Carson City, Nevada, where Milburn resides.

They include postal workers, civil engineers, and TSA agents, many of whom are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees, a union that encompasses 750,000 federal employees. Approximately 56% of civil service personnel have collective bargaining contracts, many of which incorporate remote work provisions.

While Trump’s plan to have employees return to offices is expected to meet significant resistance, he reiterated his position recently, threatening legal action against the AFGE’s new contract, which extended remote work protections until 2029.

“If workers don’t return to the office, they will be dismissed,” Trump stated regarding the contract on Dec. 23. “It was a favor to the union, and we will obviously take it to court to stop it.”

However, AFGE National President Everett Kelley responded that the union will resist these changes.

“Our achievements were not a favor, but the result of negotiation. Telework and remote work have proven beneficial for increasing productivity and efficiency within the federal government,” Kelley commented, referencing statistics from the Office of Management and Budget that indicate only 10% of federal employees currently work remotely.

The specifics of how DOGE will cut government expenses remain uncertain, but Trump has assigned tasks to entrepreneurs like Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to spearhead the efficiency drive.

This year’s federal spending is projected to reach $6.75 trillion.

Musk claimed he could rapidly remove $2 trillion from the federal budget, although he has not detailed how this would be accomplished and later revised his forecast, labeling $2 trillion as a “best-case scenario.”

He also vowed to implement reductions that would decrease the federal workforce and reduce the number of federal agencies from over 440 to approximately 99.

In his initial announcement about DOGE, Trump mentioned that the new department would seek external advice and collaboration with the White House and OMB to achieve major structural changes.

While DOGE may face difficulties due to Congressional oversight of federal funding, the escalating rhetoric has left many government employees unsettled across the nation.

Federal employee and disabled veteran believes ‘I still hold value’

Milburn, 34, just started her position as a public affairs specialist at the Department of Education two months ago. A Navy reservist, she joined a close-knit team comprised of many fellow veterans. Despite working from home, she has quickly formed connections with her colleagues.

Milburn contracted “long COVID” following a severe case of the virus in 2022 and was later diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a chronic condition that often leaves her feeling dizzy, breathless, and fatigued.

“I experience chronic inflammation throughout my body. I struggle to maintain one position for long,” Milburn explained, mentioning that she takes heart medication. “It’s been a life-changing journey.”

She was promoted to chief petty officer during her active duty in the Navy in San Diego and now anticipates a Medical Retention Review status to evaluate her ability to continue serving, likely leading to a medical discharge.

“It has been incredibly challenging to transition from being an active individual and a Navy chief to someone who cannot work in a traditional office setting,” Milburn admitted, her emotions evident. “Being hired as a civil servant in my current role demonstrated that my country recognizes my value as an individual, despite my disability.”

‘People are feeling frantic’

Jesus Soriano, president of an AFGE union representing employees at the National Science Foundation, shares candid remarks regarding the incoming Trump administration’s intention to disrupt the federal framework.

“Yes, there is widespread panic,” Soriano commented, who serves as a program director at NSF’s Partnerships for Innovation initiative aimed at funding research and broadening access to STEM fields. “We are experiencing unprecedented public pressure.”

Soriano, 57, has spent 13 years working with the NSF in various roles and has been active in union matters for seven years, serving as the NSF lead representative over the last two. Residing in Northern Virginia with his wife and three children, he often faces sleepless nights.

“When I think about my kids and my workload of around 120 hours per pay period, I can’t help but wonder, ‘Will I have a job?'” Soriano expressed. “Can I support them financially in a couple of months?” He fears that the anticipated federal changes under Trump will affect employees living in the surrounding areas of Washington, Maryland, and Virginia. Soriano is astonished that many are not taking the potential consequences seriously.

“If there are intentions to dismiss about 300,000 workers in a region, shouldn’t there be discussions with local leaders, community representatives, and state governors? It’s crucial to communicate the purpose and potential impacts,” Soriano advised. “Evaluating government efficiency is necessary, but why resort to extreme measures?”

He added that he and his peers were hired based on merit and dedication and “have committed their careers to serve this nation.”

“We work diligently, yet we’re often portrayed as lazy workers. I struggle to comprehend this situation fully. Can you imagine how distressing this is?” he asked. “The range of emotions runs from fear to deep sadness.”
when you feel you’re being sidelined for simply performing your duties.”

Trump’s threats are ‘different this time’

Sheria Smith works as a civil rights attorney for the Department of Education, where her role involves evaluating if schools and districts across the country are adhering to regulations, or if they risk losing federal funding.

As president and lead negotiator of AFGE Local 252, which represents almost 3,000 employees in her department, this Harvard graduate champions the rights of her colleagues, most of whom work remotely from various locations.

“It feels like we’ve faced this situation before, but the threats are unique this time,” Smith stated. “Is it frightening? Absolutely, that’s the correct term.”

Smith recalls the challenges she confronted when she became the union leader in 2019, navigating the environment under then-President Trump and his education secretary, Betsy DeVos. This period included the department enforcing a contract that wasn’t agreed upon through union negotiations, which workers felt infringed on their rights.

The union lodged an unfair labor practices complaint with the Federal Labor Relations Authority, ultimately reaching a settlement with the Education Department in 2022.

“They were close to succeeding,” Smith shared. “But we stood our ground.”

Now, Smith is concerned about Trump’s suggestion to dismantle the Department of Education, a 45-year institution, and redistribute its programs among different federal agencies.

She added that returning to the office isn’t feasible for everyone.

Many federal employees lack physical office space, Smith explained, noting that her union negotiated with the Department of Education to end the agency’s costly $12 million per year office lease in New York City in 2023.

Moreover, agencies like the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency are reducing their office spaces post-pandemic and are planning further cuts, according to a report from the Office of Management and Budget in August.

Both Smith and Kelley, the AFGE national president, believe that remote work enhances productivity.

“It has played to our advantage. Employees care deeply about their tasks, and removing the daily commute and rigid schedules means we eliminate small talk and workplace politics; we’ve demonstrated that we can be both productive and efficient,” said Smith, who resides in Dallas and had a career in corporate law prior to joining the department in 2016.

“I didn’t accept this role to be swayed by shifting political trends,” Smith remarked. “It’s unsettling to have an incoming government division casually discuss your potential dissolution as if we are not citizens contributing to this country in every way. It’s quite alarming.”

‘I won’t let anything happen on my watch’

Even though the federal government sidestepped a shutdown last month, Johnny Jones stated that he still would have gone to work — come what may.

“They label us as ‘essential,’” remarked Jones, 46, a veteran TSA agent at Love Field in Dallas and secretary-treasurer for AGFE Council 100, which represents 45,000 TSA employees. “However, we’re definitely not feeling that way right now.”

Jones explained that TSA personnel who are responsible for passenger screenings at airports and facilitating flights would continue to work without immediate pay, as outlined in their contracts, especially as they expected to screen around 40 million individuals during the holiday rush.

But it’s also about pride for him.

“This is the career we chose — to safeguard our fellow Americans, regardless of whether the government supports us, because we swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States,” stated Jones, who was among the initial group of TSA recruits introduced in 2002, shortly after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, which took nearly 3,000 lives.

“And since the federal government took responsibility, there hasn’t been a similar catastrophe,” he added, highlighting that TSA screens more than 2 million travelers daily. “This is important to us. I don’t want anything occurring on my watch.”

He reminisces about his time as a restaurant manager in 2001, feeling a sense of duty to protect the nation when he joined the TSA.

“It felt like my duty. While some friends opted for the Marines, I was a single parent with custody of my two kids, making it impossible for me to enlist,” Jones explained. “So, joining the TSA was the best alternative for me.”

Although there has been no mention of budget cuts affecting the TSA, Jones expressed that the ongoing uncertainty makes him and his colleagues anxious.

“All this unpredictability is weighing on us,” he said. “The last thing we want to hear as frontline workers ensuring safe travels is political discourse from Washington about cutting funds that may jeopardize our work.”

As a married father of four, Jones emphasized that he and his colleagues can’t mask their concerns. The average TSA employee earns between $60,000 and $70,000.

They are apprehensive about what January 21—the day after Trump’s inauguration—will bring as he readies his first series of executive orders.

“It’s incredibly immature,” Jones commented. “Using our livelihoods as pawns in security discussions is irresponsible, as one incident could lead to a flurry of blame later.”