The Trump/Musk gutting of the federal workforce is threatening 300,000 people in Virginia directly employed by the federal government, and another 375,000 who work for government contractors.
MAGA Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s response: updating a couple of state government webpages.
The announcement of a new Federal Worker Support page on the governor’s website was buried in another bit promoting the launch of an initiative Youngkin’s team is calling “Virginia Has Jobs”, which, we’d better, with 15 percent of our workforce about to be put on the unemployment lines.
“From Day One, I declared that Virginia was open for business, and we’ve worked tirelessly to deliver on that promise,” said Youngkin, who is said to be considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Mark Warner in the 2026 cycle. “Today, Virginia stands as the top state for business, with tremendous job opportunities across the Commonwealth. ‘Virginia Has Jobs’ is an opportunity for every Virginian — and every business — to capitalize on the thriving economy, with more than 250,000 open jobs waiting to be filled.”
How about calling it “Virginia Needs Jobs” – good-paying jobs, to replace the ones we’re about to lose to Trump/Musk clearing the way for their millionaire and billionaire buddies to get an extension on their hefty tax breaks signed into law by Trump in 2017 and set to expire this year.
The Youngkin administration claims there are more than “250,000 open positions” in Virginia, “with an additional 65,000 in the pipeline.”
Whether these “open positions” are comparable to the 675,000 federal jobs at risk due to the Trump/Musk cuts, or are more along the lines of making sandwiches and folding sweaters, is open to interpretation.
‘Virginia Needs Jobs’ resources
- Federal Worker Support Resources: State resources are available at www.governor.virginia.gov/federalworkersupport. Virginians can email [email protected] for additional assistance.
- Virginia Works: Job seekers can access Virginia Works’ suite of services as well as other partner services in person through American Job Centers in Northern Virginia and across the Commonwealth. Dedicated resource hubs are also available at the Northern and Arlington/Alexandria regions of Virginia Career Works.
- Virtual Job Fairs: Virginia Works will host a virtual job fair on Wednesday, March 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information coming to www.virginiaworks.gov.
- Commonwealth of Virginia Jobs: Talented individuals seeking to continue their careers in public service are encouraged to seek opportunities with the Commonwealth of Virginia at www.jobs.virginia.gov.
- Unemployment Insurance: Many federal employees separating from their employer may be eligible for unemployment benefits, and dedicated information resources can be found at vec.virginia.gov. Applicants can apply for benefits easily online using ID.me, an identity verification tool, through Customer Self-Service, using only a driver’s license or another form of government ID. Those who need further help can also call our Customer Contact Center at 1-866-832-2363 or visit one of our American Job Centers where Virginia Works staff is available to assist with initial claims filing and job search services.
- Health Care Coverage: Individuals who need to update their healthcare coverage options outside of open enrollment due to a change in employment status can visit www.enrollva.org.
- Earn a High-Demand Credential: The Virginia Community College System offers a variety of credentials along with programs for which Virginians may be eligible that can provide financial assistance, such as G3 and FastForward, which provide taxpayer funded degrees and credentials in high-demand fields. Constituents can find information on these programs and courses at vccs.edu.
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Chris Graham
