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President Donald Trump’s administration has been reshaping the federal government since assuming office in January. Among the dramatic changes: Layoffs of thousands of federal workers.

After two court cases halted the layoffs last month, 

the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration could move ahead with its firing of probationary employees

. The case was decided, however, based on the legal standing of the organizations filing the suit, so it is possible the court could still later rule the firings illegal.

data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 indicate there were around 15,000 fewer federal workers in mid-March compared to the start of the Trump administration, which is similar to layoff numbers shared in court proceedings. That 15,000 figure is roughly equivalent to around 0.5 percent of the total federal government workforce.

The federal government employs about 3 million Americans, making it 

. And while federal employees are concentrated in the Washington, D.C., area, close to 90 percent are based elsewhere, making up an important part of the workforce throughout the nation.

For example, the federal workforce includes nearly 34,000 jobs in Minnesota. Over 20,000 are located in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Another 9,200 are split between six other metro areas throughout the state, many of which (like the Twin Cities region) stretch into neighboring states. Additional federal jobs are located in rural areas, such as the park rangers located in Voyageurs National Park.

table showing federal jobs in MN and its metros

The bureau’s jobs report shows a loss of 100 federal jobs through Minnesota from January to February. Surprisingly, the report showed a gain of 100 federal jobs in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro — making it one of only eight metropolitan areas in the nation with federal job gains in that month.

How are the recent cuts affecting specific metro areas throughout the nation? 

, this one featuring statistics about February employment. This monthly look at nonfarm payroll jobs is our first chance to systematically gauge how federal cuts are impacting the nation’s metro areas.

According to these data, so far, the impacts to most metro areas are minimal. However, that has a lot to do with the timing and reference period for the data. Each month the thousands of employers who respond to the survey that fuels the report are asked about 

the numbers of employees on their payroll as of the 12th day of the month

 came with the flurry of executive actions signed by Trump on inauguration day, when tens of thousands of government jobs were stripped of job protections. The first round of large-scale layoffs, however, did not happen until Feb. 13 — one day after the jobs report reference period — when thousands of workers in the initial probationary periods of their jobs were let go.

Still, this first report since Trump took office does show some initial movement. And it shows how many federal jobs are in each metro areas, providing at least some clues about where the biggest impacts may be seen in months to come.

Findings from the most recent jobs report, specifically related to the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas, by number of jobs:  

table showing federal gov jobs for 100 largest metros

More impacts of the initial rounds of cuts will show up in next month’s metro jobs report, which will include the breakdown by city of the 5,000 additional cuts noted in the national report for March. (The national report does not include numbers specific to states or metropolitan areas, those local reports typically lag the national report by one month.)

And, with federal agencies directed to come up with plans for further “large scale reductions in force” by mid-March, federal employee job counts are likely to be negative for months to come. When and where those cuts will hit hardest is yet to be seen. 

Technical notes: According to Bureau of Labor Statistics’ definitions, government employment covers only civilian employees. Military personnel are excluded. Employees of the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, and the Defense Intelligence Agency are also excluded. Employees on paid leave or receiving ongoing severance pay are counted as employed in the establishment survey.

Elisabeth Gawthrop

Author

Craig Helmstetter

The federal workforce includes nearly 34,000 jobs in Minnesota. Over 20,000 are located in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ month jobs report shows a loss of 100 federal jobs through Minnesota from January to February. Surprisingly, the report showed a gain of 100 federal jobs in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro.

Federal government jobs, two year treandline (hi res)

Federal jobs watch: Just-released February jobs report shows few losses in Minnesota

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