Federal workers experiencing ‘PTSD-like symptoms’ after unlawful firings by Trump administration

Key points

• US federal workers laid off by the Trump administration say they are experiencing mental health effects, including PTSD-like symptoms, from losing their jobs, according to a new survey.
• More than 300 fired probationary employees were surveyed, with 95% reporting ongoing mental health effects, according to 27UNIHTED, a network of former Institute of Health (NIH) employees.
• Nearly half said they were experiencing PTSD-like symptoms, and a quarter are taking new medications to manage symptoms.
• Survey respondents were located across 43 states and the US Virgin Islands and had worked in 12 different departments across 15 agencies, bureaus and subgroups.
• The employees are a tiny fraction of the more than 300,000 federal workers who were laid off or pushed to resign or retire since the start of Donald Trump’s second term.