In the initial stretch of the present administration, spearheaded by former President Trump, there was a significant push to reduce the scale of the federal government. This action plan had direct implications for countless government workers settled in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Hampton VA Medical Center has confirmed the dismissal of employees in keeping with the cost-cutting decisions of the administration.
Lashavia Prather, a former staffer at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Hampton, was amongst those who experienced the harsh reality of the job cuts. She shared her emotions, describing the perceived randomness of the layoff process, ‘It felt as though they were playing ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’ with our livelihoods, and if your name was picked, you lost your job.’
Prather catered to the hospital community as an administrative assistant for approximately 10 months before being let go in February. She stressed the indispensable role played by those out of the clinical spotlight, ‘We need nurses and doctors, of course, but it is just as vital to have team members working behind the scenes.’
As an ex-military member, Prather’s experience of job loss is echoed by several others across the nation who are facing job transition as a consequence of the cutbacks associated with the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency. Sultan Camp, an employee at the Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Center, reports higher numbers of inquiries from laid-off government staff. The looming fear of further layoffs haunts many.
Considering the military-centric nature of southeastern Virginia, the consequences of such large-scale employment reduction could be profound. Dr. Bob McNab, head of the economics department at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, powerfully illustrated the vulnerable state of the future, ‘Our projections are shaky, with uncertainties not just towards the year-end, but extending to the close of this very month.’
Dr. McNab further shed light on the losing workforce’s competence, explaining that, ‘When a federal government employee is laid off, it typically takes about 1.6 other workers to produce an equivalent contribution to the local economy.’ He cautioned that mass retrenchments could trigger a domino effect, disrupting several vital services.
Focusing on the negative impact this could have on veterans seeking medical care, Dr. McNab stated, ‘If the Veterans Administration decides to dismiss 80,000 employees, the clear consequence is lengthened wait times for veterans. The quality of care, once eventually received, is also likely to be less satisfactory.’
Unsettlingly, about a month following her departure, Prather was reinstated at her previous post. However, the sense of precariousness continues to linger. She expressed her concerns, ‘Even though we are now permitted to return to work, I find that there are still so many uncertainties and not enough clarification about what lies ahead.’
The post Government Job Cuts in Hampton Roads: Trump Administration Impact appeared first on Real News Now.
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