Federal job cuts are taking a visible toll on Washington, D.C.’s economy, and digital signals show the impact is only growing.
According to Similarweb data, visits to D.C.'s unemployment insurance site surged +104% from January to February, with March poised to climb even higher (+53% vs. Feb). In total, visits jumped from 4.8K in December to an estimated 29.0K in March, pointing to a steep rise in unemployment claims following the DOGE-related federal firings.
Unemployment initial claims in Washington, D.C. increased by +228% YoY in February. The layoffs, already affecting at least 24,000 employees with more in legal limbo, come at a time when demand for white-collar professionals is already slowing.
Without federal rehire or intervention, this trend could lead to a meaningful decline in local consumer spending and a broader economic ripple effect across the capital.
The number of federal workers looking for work rose by more than 50% this year as of the end of February, The Washington Post reports, an "unprecedented spike" in job searches seen during a presidential transition. While at least 24,000 probationary employees have been fired, more than half remain in limbo, as the Trump administration appeals a federal court ruling that found the DOGE terminations illegal. And with demand for white-collar professionals declining, the job search is particularly challenging for highly educated federal employees.
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to Pressure Washing Porches
That’s the reality for one former federal employee profiled in The Washington Post Live — laid off in political chaos and left wondering where he fits in now.
“I’ve applied to over 700 jobs… Now I’m just pressure washing porches to get by.”
Let me say this: This man isn’t unqualified. He’s un-repositioned.
Highly skilled professionals who’ve spent decades serving the public, holding down government careers, building systems, and saving lives — now unsure how to stand out in the private sector’s “sea of applications”.
What can he do?
1. Rebrand: Your CDC role is more than a job title. What problems did you solve? What systems did you improve? What public crises did you manage that mirror corporate risk, compliance, crisis management, and operations today?
2. Network: Stop applying cold. Start connecting warmly. Your next opportunity isn’t on a job board — it’s one conversation away, with someone who needs exactly what you’ve built your life doing. You’re not starting over — you’re being redirected.
3. Achieve Recognition: Show up online like you know who you are. That means reworking your LinkedIn profile, sharing your story, and getting visible again — not with desperation, but with data-backed receipts and bold clarity.
Turn years of undervalued expertise into high-impact, high-paying career pivots.
To every former government worker, every laid-off fed, every mid-career pro wondering, “Where do I even fit now?” — you are not lost. You’re just labeled incorrectly.
Let’s change that.
Layoff, fire, mess with people. This is hella messed up.
What else is there to say about the DOGE hiring, firing, re-hiring, cutting benefits for veterans, oh, you know, all that “stuff”? Hella messed up that so many people are being messed with.
My California lingo is coming through, and you shouldn’t read that as a way to downplay how terrible this is.
I’m guessing it will get worse.
If you’re now employed—whether in the US federal government or at a company whose priorities seem to be constantly shifting—I want you to be prepared.
Write down your stories. What have you done? What impact have you had?
Track your value. Where have you made a difference? Write down ideas. Ask peers and your manager for their thoughts.
Think about your resilience. What have you worked through? What challenges have you handled?
Even if you don’t need it, this kind of career self-awareness can give you leverage.
And if you do need it? You’ll be ready.
If you’ve already been laid off, now’s the time to refine those stories. Because when you walk into an interview, and they ask, “Tell me about a tough relationship you’ve had and how you worked through it,” you will feel more prepared.
You’ll be able to answer with clarity and maybe a bit more confidence. You’ll have a structured response.
✔️ Situation – What was the challenge or situation?
✔️ Action – What did you do?
✔️ Result – What happened because of your efforts?
According to the layoffs.fy website, approximately 23,054 tech employees have lost their jobs across 87 tech companies in 2025 so far. Amazon announced 14 K layoffs of managers making $250 k to $300 K today. Depending on whether one includes “buyouts”, over 100 K US federal workers are now without jobs. Thousands of private contractors no longer have federal contracts. Moneywise reports that Texas alone could lose 370,000 jobs and $47 billion a year in GDP because of Trump’s tariffs. The negative multiplier effect is huge. How can these not be leading indicators of a massive recession in front of us ?
The president touts himself as the veterans' biggest supporter and guardian of their rights, including their right to easy access to health services. Does this sound like that to you?
"Among the most consequential [DOGE] orders is the requirement that thousands of mental health providers, including many who were hired for fully remote positions, now work full time from federal office space. This is a jarring policy reversal for the V.A., which pioneered the practice of virtual health care two decades ago as a way to reach isolated veterans, long before the pandemic made telehealth the preferred mode of treatment for many Americans.
As the first wave of providers reports to offices where there is simply not enough room to accommodate them, many found no way to ensure patient privacy, health workers said. Some have filed complaints, warning that the arrangement violates ethics regulations and medical privacy laws. At the same time, layoffs of at least 1,900 probationary employees are thinning out already stressed services that assist veterans who are homeless or suicidal."