Exit Interviews: Hear From Parents in the DC Area Laid Off From Federal Jobs

Living in the DMV right now, it’s hard to escape the news of near-constant layoffs. As foreign aid funding screeches to a halt and DOGE enters government agencies and federally funded programs, employees are losing their livelihoods and their professional missions.

Who are these public servants?

They’re moms and dads; they’re neighbors; they’re friends. And many were afraid to share their stories for fear of retaliation.

Here are a few who did:

Daniel L. (General Services Administration, Historic Preservation Specialist)

Last year, Daniel moved to the DC area from California to work as a historic preservation specialist at the GSA. He and his wife bought a home in the area and had their first baby, now 6 months old.

Daniel describes the GSA as “the circulatory system for the federal government,” handling the business logistics, procurement and workspace management solutions for federal agencies so those agencies can focus solely on their missions. Daniel handled a large portfolio of nationally significant historic federal buildings, including architectural landmarks beside the National Mall.

As of Daniel’s interview, the Historic Preservation, Fine Arts and Interior Design groups within his office are slated for elimination, with staff subject to reductions in force. It is possible that much of Daniel’s portfolio may now be listed on the real estate market. However, in order to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, sale of historic buildings typically requires careful review and coordination with various interested parties and the public. Now, the staff most qualified to assess effects on historic buildings and administer those procedures are being let go.

Daniel was put on leave (after initially being terminated in his probationary period) less than three months before qualifying for student loan forgiveness after a decade in public service. As he grapples with financial uncertainty, he reflects on what has been the most challenging part: the stress and distraction during such a special time in his parenting journey. That is a loss he will never get back.

Holly M. (World Learning, TESOL Program Specialist)

Holly has an impressive background in international development and education, including a master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and nearly 20 years of work experience. Most recently, Holly worked at World Learning, a global development and exchange organization that relies on U.S. government funding.

In this role, Holly worked in World Learning’s teacher training program, developing curricula and training teachers worldwide to improve their English skills and better teach the language. At the time of the foreign aid funding freeze, Holly was in the middle of teaching an online course to teachers selected by embassies around the world. The course was suddenly halted, wasting the resources that had already been invested and depriving these teachers of professional development. Holly’s position was terminated, along with others, and key programs at World Learning were shut down.

Programs like Holly’s made access to English more inclusive and equitable. Holly believes that foreign aid makes Americans safer, stronger and more prosperous. And by teaching English specifically, the programs are not only spreading the language of our country but also catalyzing increased economic mobility, which is often linked to English proficiency.

Holly’s two children are feeling the effects of her unemployment as their family cannot afford the extras it once could. But Holly makes sure to keep their hardships in perspective, particularly as they live in an Arlington community with many immigrants facing fears of deportation. Now that she is between jobs, she has taken on an important volunteer role: walking children to school whose undocumented parents are too afraid to do so.

Sally M. (USAID, Foreign Service Officer)

Sally (using a pseudonym for fear of retribution) has dedicated her adult life to the foreign service. After earning a master’s degree in international development, paying her way to gain experience in Latin America and Africa and working on Capitol Hill, Sally became a foreign service officer with USAID – a role she held proudly for 17 years.

Her family served right alongside her. Sally began her first overseas post as a new mom with a 10-week-old baby. Every foreign country they lived in has been embroiled in active conflict, including revolution, war and genocide. Her family was exposed to bombs, feared for their safety and had to evacuate twice. Sally’s husband (a “trailing spouse”) had to adapt his career; he works for a USAID partner and expects to lose his job as well due to the cancellation of foreign assistance funding.

As a foreign service officer, Sally – who speaks three languages – wore many hats. She worked with young ex-paramilitary combatants in Latin America to provide rehabilitation. She supported civil society. She aided American congressional delegations. She took duty calls to respond to American citizens dealing with emergencies in the middle of the night. Most recently, she oversaw efforts that provided avian influenza surveillance. The termination of those grants, she explains, directly impacts the price of eggs.

Sally’s work, and that of her colleagues, is preventative and mitigating. It decreases migration, enhances America’s soft power and provides democracy support and disaster preparedness. Despite all the personal sacrifice, Sally says, “This is all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

The layoff statistics are overwhelming, but behind every number is a story. To those public servants who shared their stories – and to those who did not – thank you for your service.

Jennifer Brechbill is a writer, lawyer, and mom of three. You can find her on LinkedIn or Instagram (@jenniferbrechbill or @glutenfree_with_g).