Chelsea Milburn felt "blessed" to land her dream job as a public affairs specialist for the Department of Education, a role that offered stability after her life took a dramatic turn two years ago due to a serious illness. However, her job, along with those of over 228,000 federal teleworkers, is now at risk if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his promise to require federal employees to return to the office five days a week. Milburn, who has a disability that makes full-time desk work challenging, is among the many federal workers facing uncertainty.
Trump’s broader campaign promises to dismantle the Department of Education and overhaul agencies like the Justice Department and Health and Human Services could also jeopardize the jobs of millions of federal workers. While Trump’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aims to save billions through reorganization and layoffs, such changes could have far-reaching consequences, including job losses in unexpected areas.
Federal workers are often perceived as concentrated in Washington, D.C., but only about 15% of them work in the nation’s capital, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The remaining 85% are spread across cities like Dallas and state capitals like Carson City, Nevada, where Milburn resides. These workers include postal employees, civil engineers, and TSA agents, many of whom are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a union of 750,000 federal workers. About 56% of federal employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements, many of which include provisions for remote work.
Trump’s push to end remote work has drawn significant backlash. He recently threatened legal action against the AFGE’s latest contract, which extends remote work protections until 2029. “If people don’t come back to work, they’re going to be dismissed,” Trump said on December 23. However, AFGE National President Everett Kelley defended remote work as a tool that boosts productivity and efficiency, citing statistics that only 10% of federal workers are fully remote.
Trump has enlisted Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead DOGE’s efforts to streamline the government. Musk has claimed he could cut $2 trillion from the federal budget, though he has not provided specifics. Trump’s vision for DOGE includes large-scale structural reforms, but its impact remains uncertain, as Congress controls federal spending.
The uncertainty has left many federal workers anxious. Chelsea Milburn, a 34-year-old Navy reservist and disabled veteran, began her role at the Department of Education just two months ago. After developing long COVID and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), she struggles with chronic pain and fatigue, making remote work essential. “Even with my disability, my country sees that I still have value,” Milburn said, reflecting on her transition from an active Navy chief to a remote civil servant.
Jesus Soriano, an AFGE union president representing National Science Foundation workers, described the mood among federal employees as one of “panic.” Soriano, a program director for the NSF Partnerships for Innovation initiative, worries about the potential impact of Trump’s policies on workers in the Washington, D.C., area. “Evaluating government efficiency is necessary, but why blow it up?” he asked, emphasizing the dedication of federal workers to their roles.
Sheria Smith, a civil rights attorney at the Department of Education and president of AFGE Local 252, echoed these concerns. She recalled the challenges of negotiating with the Trump administration during his first term and fears the proposed elimination of the Department of Education. “It’s disconcerting to have an incoming administration talk about your possible elimination so callously,” Smith said, stressing the importance of remote work for productivity and work-life balance.
Johnny Jones, a TSA agent at Dallas Love Field and a union representative, expressed pride in his role protecting travelers but acknowledged the anxiety caused by political rhetoric. “We took an oath to defend the Constitution, and we’ll do our job no matter what,” Jones said. However, he criticized the uncertainty surrounding potential cuts, noting that frontline workers like TSA agents cannot afford to have their livelihoods jeopardized by political games.
As Trump prepares to take office, federal workers across the country are bracing for potential changes that could reshape their careers and lives. For many, the fear of losing their jobs is compounded by the sense that their contributions to the nation are being overlooked. “We’re not just bureaucrats,” Smith said. “We’re American citizens who contribute in every way to this nation.”