Trump administration's staff reductions disproportionately affect agencies with a predominant female and minority workforce, according to a recent study
A new report published by the National Women's Law Center (NWLC) has shed light on the potential consequences of the Trump administration's workforce reductions. The report, based on federal workforce data from September 2024, suggests that the mass removals of federal employees are likely to disproportionately impact women and minority groups.
The NWLC used federal workforce data from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) database called FedScope for their analysis. Notably, the Trump administration had previously removed diversity data from the FedScope website, but the NWLC had saved the information for their report.
According to the report, agencies with a majority of people of color have been targeted for removals. For instance, the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) department, which has the highest percentage of Black employees (36%) among federal agencies, is expected to institute widespread layoffs. Similarly, agencies such as Education, Treasury, and Health and Human Services, which have 54%, 54%, and 52% people of color respectively, are also slated to experience significant workforce reductions.
The report also reveals that women compose the majority of workers in several key departments. For example, women make up 66% of the workforce at the Social Security Administration and 54% at the Environmental Protection Agency. The departments with the three highest percentages of female employees - Veterans Affairs (64%), Education (63%), and Health and Human Services (63%) - are slated to experience some of the largest workforce reductions.
The VA Secretary Doug Collins wants to shed around 80,000 employees by the end of the fiscal year, while the workforce of the Education Department has been roughly halved since Trump took office. The Interior Department, whose workforce is 10% indigenous, is anticipated to lay off thousands of its workers in less than 10 days.
The report states that pay gaps for women and people of color in federal jobs are narrower than in the private sector. For example, women at agencies were paid 95 cents for every dollar paid to men in September 2024. Government jobs, historically associated with job security, union membership, and benefits, have helped underrepresented groups advance into the middle class.
However, the Trump administration is seeking to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across government. The IRS, an agency under Treasury, has wiped away its hiring gains during the Biden administration through separation incentives and is planning for broader reductions in force. The VA is also seeking to eliminate the diversity, equity, and inclusion office.
The Trump-Vance administration's sweeping efforts to dismantle the government are likely to disproportionately harm women and people of color, according to the NWLC. The organization's report claims that the majority of officials dismissed by President Trump's administration disproportionately affects women and minority groups, but the specific organization that published this analysis was not identified in the provided search results.
The report by the NWLC serves as a stark reminder of the potential impact of the Trump administration's policies on diversity and inclusion within the federal workforce. As the administration continues to push for workforce reductions, the implications for underrepresented groups cannot be overlooked.
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