Federal employees like me have been hearing a lot in recent weeks about how important it is for us to stay in our jobs, despite President-elect Donald Trump’s open animosity toward much of the federal work force. We’ve been told by friends, relatives and good-government advocates that a well-functioning government — and the survival of our democracy — depends on it.
We know. We understand what will happen if Mr. Trump fills the civil service with unqualified, inexperienced people selected for their political loyalty. But to stay in our jobs, we will need more than exhortation; we will need legal, psychological and other practical support.
One reason many federal employees are thinking of leaving government — often after decades of serving our country, under Republican and Democratic presidents — is that we’re afraid. The incoming leaders of the government have told us in aggressive terms that they want us either gone or miserable. “We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected,” Russell Vought, who has been tapped by Mr. Trump to lead the Office of Management and Budget, has said. “When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains.”
We’re worried for our safety, too. Elon Musk, after being selected by Mr. Trump to help recommend cuts to the federal work force, broadcast on X the names of several federal employees working in climate-related jobs. Those employees were then hounded online. The rest of us have reason to fear such harassment — as well as the possibility of violence against us.
We’re also worried about our financial security. We don’t know if we’ll be able to continue to do our jobs and take care of our families when we’ve been told that our working conditions could drastically change. We may, for example, be ordered to relocate to another state or else quit. If we do stay in our jobs, we worry about how we can uphold our professional ethical standards when it seems that our willingness to say yes will matter more than any other aspect of our performance.
Of course, big changes happen in workplaces. But they’re rarely motivated by this kind of overt animus and ideology.
What sorts of practical support would help? For one thing, lawyers and mental health providers could offer pro bono or significantly discounted services to federal employees to navigate the challenges of difficult workplace situations. Data-removal companies that specialize in taking down personal information online could offer free or discounted plans to federal employees who are being harassed or at risk of harassment. Friends and family members of federal employees with young children or other caregiving responsibilities could offer to pitch in. (Without their help, employees who are stripped of their ability to do some remote work or forced to adhere to overly rigid work schedules may have no choice but to leave their jobs.)
Concerned citizens could urge their elected representatives to promote legislation that protects civil servants and oppose draconian bills that would harm them. Those with money to spare could donate to organizations that work to protect public servants. And if you value the civil service, don’t just tell us; tell your friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members too — especially whenever the pernicious “deep state” narrative rears its ugly head.
Our country needs a professional and independent civil service. We can’t expect federal employees to save it on their own. That burden will also need to be shouldered by all those Americans who will suffer if it’s destroyed.
Stacey Young is a lawyer in the civil rights division of the Department of Justice and the president and co-founder of the D.O.J. Gender Equality Network, an employee-run advocacy organization that promotes equitable treatment for workers in the department.
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