Nearly 160,000 federal workers live in Maryland. State Democratic leaders say those employees are feeling scared and bullied by the Trump administration’s deferred resignation plan.
5th District Rep. Steny Hoyer said the administration’s actions “have put fear in the hearts and minds of our federal employees who every day effectively and efficiently serve the American people.”
Hoyer said forcing people to leave the federal workforce “will undermine severely, depending upon the number, services to the American people.”
Nearly 12,000 people work at the Social Security headquarters in Woodlawn in Baltimore County.
County Councilman Julian Jones’ district line is just across the street from the agency, which is Baltimore County’s biggest employer.
“You’ve got to drive through my district to get to the driveway, you know to go into the place,” Jones said.
Jones called the Trump administration’s plan to slash the federal workforce a scare tactic with consequences.
“When people are fearful for their job, their performance will go down, just because they’re preoccupied,” Jones said.
State Sen. Charles Sydnor, who represents the part of Baltimore County that includes the Social Security Administration, said the confusion created by the Trump administration’s actions is “likely being done purposefully.”
“I think this administration is going to continue doing it unless you have people who are willing to push back,” Sydnor said.
He added federal employees he has spoken to “feel like they’re being bullied” in order to force them to quit.
The Trump administration Tuesday sent federal employees a letter offering a “deferred resignation.”
It offered to pay employees through September 28 if they agree to resign. There are no guarantees they will be able to keep their job if they do not agree to resign.
“This sort of whiplash of them trying to offer a buyout that is not even legally grounded in authority is deeply concerning to me and the rest of the delegation,” said 2nd District Rep. Johnny Olszewski.
The lone Republican member of the delegation, 1st District Rep. Andy Harris, was not available for comment.
