Federal Employees with Disabilities Face Unemployment Amid Policy Changes

On January 22, Josh Josa, a deaf federal employee at the United States Agency for International Development, was placed on administrative leave. Josa worked in the office dedicated to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), ensuring the agency’s $40 billion aid efforts remained inclusive for workers with disabilities. Following the Trump administration’s attempts to cut back on inclusivity and after a period of uncertainty, he was laid off in April.

Since then, Josa has remained unemployed. He notes that the jobless rate for people with disabilities has tripled under the current administration, making it more difficult for them to secure employment. Many former federal employees with disabilities share similar stories: they valued workplaces that embraced accessibility and support, and they worry about whether future jobs will uphold those standards given the current political climate.

For example, Vanessa McMains, a science writer at the National Institutes of Health, experienced a positive work environment that accommodated her fibromyalgia. Her remote work setup allowed her to perform her duties comfortably until she was unexpectedly terminated in February. Likewise, Sara Fernandez, who has dwarfism and ADHD, received a reduction-in-force notice and felt a mix of anger and relief, citing challenges in her work environment during the early months of the new administration.

Long-standing federal employees like Brianne Burger, who is Deaf, appreciated the agency accommodations that supported her role, such as ASL interpreters and captioning. Fernandez highlighted that the federal government’s cancellations of such accommodations not only negatively affect workers but also result in the loss of valuable perspectives and creativity that disabled employees contribute.

Both Fernandez and Josa emphasized that disabled federal workers bring unique ways of thinking that improve accessibility and diversity in government. They believe that eliminating these roles diminishes the federal workforce’s ability to serve a diverse population effectively.

A diptych representing displaced federal workers; Allison Bailey/SOPA/Zuma; Getty

Overall, the layoffs reflect a shift away from federal inclusivity efforts, losing a rich pool of talent that embraces diversity and accessibility—a move seen as damaging to the foundation of an equitable government workforce.