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Job market

Most Americans who want a job have one. And wages have grown faster than inflation for more than two years. But uncertainty still hovers over the U.S. job market, as many Americans express anxiety about the direction of the economy. Amid this doubt, one group with traditionally stable employment finds itself targeted for massive reductions: employees of the federal government.

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President Donald Trump touts American manufacturing's resurgence, but polls show mixed feelings among Americans.
last updated Apr 15

Economic outlook

Tariffs, a trade war, a volatile stock market and mass federal firings have created uncertainty in the job market. Some companies are hiring, some are shedding workers, and others are waiting to see where the economy is headed.
Envato
Gov. Gavin Newsom promised to file a lawsuit after the Trump administration dismantled AmeriCorps in recent budget cuts.
last updated Apr 18

Federal workforce

The Trump administration has laid off tens of thousands of federal workers, even more have accepted buyout offers – and still more have been targeted for firing. The government’s workforce could soon be reduced by more than 275,000.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
More than 1,200 demonstrations took place Saturday as thousands of Americans protested recent government actions with "Hands Off!" rallies.
last updated Apr 5

Worker attitudes

Those who have jobs aren’t always happy with them. The number of American workers who say they want to change employment is at a 10-year high. And many say they’re not earning enough to get by.
REUTERS/ Megan Varner

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What the left is saying

Feeling the impact

Articles from left-leaning news sources emphasize the negative effects of federal layoffs, on government employees losing their jobs and on citizens who depend on the services they provide.

Response and resistance

Articles report on attempts by unions and states to prevent further layoffs and to restore workers who have already been fired.

Human cost of layoffs

Left-leaning media has featured personal stories about federal workers who have lost their jobs. Coverage highlights the disorienting effects of sudden unemployment and the emotional impacts on workers' families.

What the center is saying

Large scale layoffs

Centrist news sources highlight the size of federal job cuts and look at how government services might be affected. Articles frame the cuts as among the most controversial elements of the administration's government-efficiency initiative.

Mixed reactions

Articles quote those who support the reduction in the federal workforce as well as those who are fighting the cuts.

Federal efficiency debate

Coverage has examined broader implications of federal job cuts, including whether more government services will be privatized.

What the right is saying

Waste and abuse

Coverage by right-leaning media emphasizes efforts to reduce wasteful federal spending by trimming the government's workforce.

Support for reduction

Right-leaning coverage has supported the Trump administration's position that bold actions were needed to shrink the federal government and rein in overreach by agencies and their employees.

Low unemployment rate

Right-leaning coverage emphasizes that the nation's unemployment rate has remained relatively low under the Trump administration and that government layoffs will have little impact on the overall employment picture.

What the left media is missing…

What the right media is missing…

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Timeline

April 2025

Key Event
April 2025

DOGE-driven government job cuts push March layoffs to pandemic highs

Layoffs in March 2025 neared the record highs of the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by the firings of thousands of federal employees under Department of Government Efficiency initiatives. Government workers accounted for nearly 80% of the month’s layoffs.

February 2025

Key Event
February 2025

The US added 589,000 fewer jobs last year than reported. Here’s what it means

The federal government revised its estimates of job creation for the year ending in March 2024. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said 589,000 fewer jobs had been created than the agency had previously reported. But such revisions are normal, and the agency had estimated the downward revision would be 818,000 jobs.

November 2024

Key Event
November 2024

New York Times’ tech staff walks out before Election Day

Six hundred engineers, data analysts and product managers for The New York Times went on strike right before the 2024 presidential election, threatening the newspaper’s coverage of the significant event. The staff provided support for NYT’s digital operations, including live election tools. Workers urged users to support them by stopping the use of NYT’s apps and games. The strike had little effect on election night coverage, and the workers returned a week later without a new contract.

2024

August 2023

Key Event
August 2023

White House EV push prompts concerns among unions as labor tensions rise

A push by former President Joe Biden to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles prompted concerns by some in labor unions. Members of auto workers unions, especially those working on gasoline-powered vehicles, expressed concern over the transition to EVs and how that might cause job displacement and an unequal distribution of benefits. United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said the union supports the transition to EVs, but that it must be “a just transition.”