Friends,

Every day it seems brings a new threat from the Trump Administration against federal employees. Fairfax County is home to over 50,000 federal workers as well as contractors. As I’ve written in previous newsletters, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has and will continue to take every opportunity to speak out against these attacks on the livelihoods of so many of our residents. 

I would like to provide our federal workers, contractors and their families with assurances that you are not in this fight alone. In fact, On November 19, the Board of Supervisors approved my Board Matter that directed the County Executive to begin a review of all County policies and programs that are under threat from the incoming administration, which at the time had not even taken office. I listed as our first priority the protection of federal workers as well as contractors. Fairfax County, as a local governing body, is limited in how we can fight back against this administration’s draconian mission to gut the federal government, but we are committed to that fight. I am in regular communication with my regional counterparts and our representatives in Congress in discussions on what we can do to protect our residents. 

What can we do? You can explore the Work in Northern Virginia website, which lists over 80,000 job opportunities and provides information on various upcoming job fairs. This platform is operated by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and is open to everyone.

How can federal employees stay informed about employment changes? For those specifically affected by federal employment changes, it’s important to stay informed through federal representatives. While we cannot provide you with specific advice, representatives such as Rep. Connolly, Rep. Beyer, Rep. Subramanyam, Sen. Kaine, and Sen. Warner offer newsletters and communications with up-to-date information on federal employment matters. I encourage you to sign up for their communications by following those links. 

What is the County’s position? Fairfax County has a longstanding position in our Federal Legislative Program opposing the kinds of “haphazard cuts to federal employment” that the Trump Administration is pursuing. 

“The County opposes efforts to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce, relocate up to 100,000 federal employees, and replace non-partisan career civil servants with political appointees, as such actions could have a devastating impact on the local economy, including the commercial and residential real estate markets as well as the County’s revenue sources. Fairfax County is home to more than 50,000 federal employees, and businesses located in Fairfax County receive over $38 billion in federal contracts (see also the Federal Agency Relocation, Consolidation, and Related Activities position on pages 10-12).”  

Finally, senior County staff is tracking the actions of the Administration in real time and determining the impact on our residents who rely on federal supports.