All articles tagged with #federal employment
The federal workforce has shrunk by about 9% since early 2025, primarily due to voluntary departures under the Trump administration's policies, with some rehiring efforts underway to fill critical roles.
Black Americans are experiencing a worsening in employment conditions, with their unemployment rate rising sharply due to factors like shrinking federal jobs, reversing previous gains where Black-white employment gaps were at record lows, and highlighting ongoing racial disparities in the labor market.
President Trump announced his intention to nominate E.J. Antoni, a critic of the BLS, as the new agency head, replacing the fired Erika McEntarfer amid controversy over data integrity and political influence. Antoni, a conservative economist with ties to the Heritage Foundation, has questioned the reliability of recent labor data, and his appointment raises concerns about the independence and accuracy of economic reporting.
A bipartisan bill, the Cannabis Users Restoration of Eligibility Act, has been introduced in Congress to change a law that automatically disqualifies candidates who admit to using cannabis from federal employment. Despite the legalization of recreational marijuana in many states, individuals who have consumed cannabis have been barred from federal jobs. The proposed bill aims to eliminate this restriction and allow past or current marijuana use to be disregarded when considering security clearance or suitability for federal employment. It also provides an opportunity for those previously denied clearance or job opportunities due to marijuana use to have their cases reviewed. The bill treats marijuana like alcohol, allowing consequences for using it during work, and requires federal agencies to create a process for reviewing past decisions related to cannabis use.
A recent survey found that 30 percent of young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 have either declined to apply or withdrawn applications for federal jobs because of strict marijuana policies required for security clearances. The poll interviewed young adults about federal employment policies, focusing on cannabis. One of the most notable findings is that 20 percent of participants said that they’ve declined to apply for federal jobs because of the government’s restrictive cannabis policies. While 39 percent said they’d be willing to abstain from cannabis in order to secure a federal job, 18 percent said they wouldn’t.