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Jun 03, 2026
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Federal Workers Report PTSD Symptoms After Unlawful Trump Administration Firings

AI Summary
A new survey reveals that 95% of federal workers unlawfully fired during the Trump administration's mass terminations are experiencing ongoing mental health effects, with nearly half reporting PTSD-like symptoms. These findings contradict administration claims that affected workers have found better-paying jobs, while legal battles continue over the legality of the dismissals.

Federal Workers Report Severe Mental Health Impact After Unlawful Firings

US federal workers laid off by the Trump administration are experiencing significant mental health effects, including PTSD-like symptoms, from losing their jobs, according to a new survey conducted by 27UNIHTED, a network of former National Institute of Health (NIH) employees.

Mass Firings of Probationary Federal Employees

More than 300,000 federal workers have been laid off or pushed to resign or retire since the start of Donald Trump's second term. Among these, over 25,000 workers were laid off in the middle of their probationary period—meaning they had started their positions within a year or two when they were abruptly fired.

The surveyed employees were located across 43 states and the US Virgin Islands and had worked in 12 different departments across 15 agencies, bureaus and subgroups. Individual stories highlight the personal impact of these terminations:

  • Brier Ryver, a park ranger at Florida's Crystal River national wildlife refuge, was fired twice after initially being reinstated
  • Christa Reynolds, an NIH program analyst with eight years of experience as a contractor, received good performance reviews before being "illegally fired"
  • Dr. Whitney Behr, a biologist with US Fish and Wildlife, had to move in with family after being fired during her probationary period

Survey Reveals Widespread Mental Health Crisis Among Fired Workers

The survey of more than 300 fired probationary employees revealed alarming mental health consequences:

  • 95% reported ongoing mental health effects
  • Nearly half (48%) said they are experiencing PTSD-like symptoms
  • A quarter (25%) are taking new medications to manage symptoms
  • One in five respondents reported being unemployed as of January 31
  • 49% who found new jobs reported earning significantly less in their new positions
  • Only 11% of fired probationary workers found another role in the federal government

These findings directly contradict a claim Trump made in January that fired federal workers are "getting sometimes twice as much money, three times as much money" and "they're getting much better jobs and much higher pay."

Precedent Set by Firings Threatens Civil Service Protections

A federal judge ruled in September that the firing of federal probationary employees was unlawful, though the federal government was not required to reinstate terminated employees. The judge overseeing the case noted concerns that the Supreme Court would overrule the relief if he ordered reinstatement of the fired workers.

Ryver noted that the firings have set a dangerous precedent that could allow the federal government to fire employees on a whim despite civil service protections. "These unlawful terminations that should have never happened in the first place have had deep personal impacts," Ryver said. "I still have PTSD-like symptoms in my own life that are impacting my ability to work."

Reynolds recalled a comment made by Russell Vought, Project 2025's lead architect, before he was appointed head of the Office of Management and Budget: "We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected." She expressed dismay at this statement: "It just seems like a terrible thing to say. You're targeting people who have dedicated their careers to helping the country."

Long-Term Consequences for Federal Workforce and Public Services

As court cases related to the firings of probationary employees continue and workers file appeals with the merit systems protection board, the long-term consequences become increasingly apparent. More than 10,000 doctoral-trained experts in science and related fields have left the US since Trump started his second term, according to an analysis by Science.

Behr emphasized the impact on public services: "There are a lot of PhD-level scientists that the government lost. There are species going extinct right now and there's just nothing we can do about it. There are projects that were paid for that are not getting completed."

The White House deferred comment to the Office of Personnel Management, which did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Meanwhile, many affected workers continue to struggle with the aftermath of their dismissals, both financially and emotionally.