A year later, laid-off federal workers are still piecing their lives back together
Federal worker David Harbourt, laid off in April 2025 as part of a Trump administration-driven downsizing, now travels between contract jobs while struggling to support his family, as Maryland loses 29,700 federal jobs amid broader U.S. workforce cuts. The reductions, led by the Department of Government Efficiency under billionaire Elon Musk, have disrupted local economies and left workers like Harbourt, a 17-year public servant, grappling with financial and emotional instability." "article": "Federal worker David Harbourt, 43, now spends half of each month on the road, moving between contract jobs after losing his position at the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine in Laurel, Maryland, in April 2025. His layoff was part of a sweeping federal workforce reduction that eliminated 29,700 jobs in Maryland alone between January 2025 and March 2026, with nationwide cuts totaling 335,000 federal civilian jobs, including 81,500 in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The downsizing, driven by the Department of Government Efficiency under billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump’s return to office, has left workers like Harbourt—who held a doctorate in toxicology and served nearly two decades in federal roles—struggling financially and emotionally. Harbourt’s position, deemed ‘duplicative and unnecessary,’ was eliminated alongside 107 colleagues in a single reduction-in-force action, leaving him without steady income or stability. Maryland’s economy has been particularly hard hit, as federal jobs historically supported household finances, local businesses, and state revenue. Benjamin Orr, president of the Maryland Center on Economic Policy, warned that the federal government’s role as an economic anchor has weakened due to the administration’s policies. ‘The federal government is a much less reliable source of economic engine for our state than it used to be,’ Orr said. Harbourt’s former role involved managing safety and occupational health for a 27-acre FDA campus, ensuring protection against hazards like wild animals, flooding, and severe weather, including a tornado that damaged pastureland. He described his work as essential, stating that he never expected safety personnel to be laid off. Before his dismissal, he was home for dinner every night and had spent years in federal service, including stints with the Army and the National Institutes of Health. The financial strain extends beyond individual workers, as the layoffs have disrupted communities dependent on federal employment. Harbourt’s family remains in New Market, Frederick County, while he travels for temporary work, highlighting the broader impact of the workforce cuts on families and local economies.
Federal worker David Harbourt, 43, now spends half of each month on the road, moving between contract jobs after losing his position at the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine in Laurel, Maryland, in April 2025. His layoff was part of a sweeping federal workforce reduction that eliminated 29,700 jobs in Maryland alone between January 2025 and March 2026, with nationwide cuts totaling 335,000 federal civilian jobs, including 81,500 in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The downsizing, driven by the Department of Government Efficiency under billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump’s return to office, has left workers like Harbourt—who held a doctorate in toxicology and served nearly two decades in federal roles—struggling financially and emotionally. Harbourt’s position, deemed ‘duplicative and unnecessary,’ was eliminated alongside 107 colleagues in a single reduction-in-force action, leaving him without steady income or stability. Maryland’s economy has been particularly hard hit, as federal jobs historically supported household finances, local businesses, and state revenue. Benjamin Orr, president of the Maryland Center on Economic Policy, warned that the federal government’s role as an economic anchor has weakened due to the administration’s policies. ‘The federal government is a much less reliable source of economic engine for our state than it used to be,’ Orr said. Harbourt’s former role involved managing safety and occupational health for a 27-acre FDA campus, ensuring protection against hazards like wild animals, flooding, and severe weather, including a tornado that damaged pastureland. He described his work as essential, stating that he never expected safety personnel to be laid off. Before his dismissal, he was home for dinner every night and had spent years in federal service, including stints with the Army and the National Institutes of Health. The financial strain extends beyond individual workers, as the layoffs have disrupted communities dependent on federal employment. Harbourt’s family remains in New Market, Frederick County, while he travels for temporary work, highlighting the broader impact of the workforce cuts on families and local economies.
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