Recent federal workforce reductions are having a disproportionate impact on Black employees, raising concerns about long-term economic stability and representation in public service, according to new reports.

Black workers make up nearly 19 percent of the federal workforce, despite accounting for about 14 percent of the overall U.S. population, according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Historically, federal employment has provided a critical pathway to the middle class for Black Americans, offering stable wages, benefits, and protection from private-sector discrimination.

In Prince George’s County, Maryland—a majority-Black suburb of Washington, D.C., with one of the largest concentrations of federal employees—the impact is especially pronounced. 

Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, emphasized the gravity of the situation:

“What you’re really going to see is a disproportionate effect of these cuts and these firings. It’s going to erode the middle class for many African Americans, and Black and Brown people.” 

Additionally, the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, along with cuts to civil rights offices within agencies, has compounded concerns about institutional support for Black federal workers. According to a 2024 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, these reductions not only shrink employment opportunities but also diminish mechanisms that address workplace discrimination.

Experts warn that as the federal government continues to implement these workforce reductions, the ripple effects on Black communities and the overall diversity of public service could undermine decades of progress toward racial equity in federal employment.