DENVER (KDVR) — Thousands of federal employees across the U.S. are being laid off as President Donald Trump’s administration shrinks the size of the federal workforce in an effort to minimize what he believes to be wasteful spending.
Hundreds of Colorado’s 57,000 federal employees are expected to be impacted by the layoffs, which are part of Trump’s Executive Order 14210 Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative. The order outlines a reform of the federal workforce, prioritizing offices with functions that are not mandated by statute or other law.
Thousands of Internal Revenue Service employees were laid off across the country last week, impacting over 100 in Colorado. Additionally, some 3,400 U.S. Forest Service employees were laid off en masse earlier this month. It’s unclear how many of those employees are from Colorado.
On Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis in a press release said the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the Statewide Workforce System are prepared to support Coloradans impacted by the job cuts.
Resources for Colorado federal workers impacted by job cuts
Job cuts are underway and more layoffs may be ahead. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has information on its website about reemployment support and unemployment insurance and resources for federal workers who have recently been laid off.
The department encourages workers who are impacted by the job cuts to file unemployment claims online. The website has information about what is needed to file a claim, how to track a claim and next steps.
Federal workers who continue to receive payment from their federal employer related to their resignation must report that income and may not be eligible for unemployment benefits during those weeks. Those workers can upload a copy of their deferred resignation letter when filing a claim.
“All workers experiencing a period of joblessness are encouraged to take advantage of the resources and programs available through the Statewide Workforce System to support them on their career journeys,” the department wrote.
The department said workforce centers statewide offer support for job seekers with search support and coaching, resume development, interview preparation, hiring events, training opportunities and more.
Additionally, there are currently more than 60,000 job openings posted on Connecting Colorado, the state’s labor exchange. There are nearly 500 open positions at various state agencies and the department encourages federal workers to explore careers with the state and consider benefits for retirement, medical and dental coverage, 11 paid holidays, flexible schedules and more.
Filing for unemployment in Colorado?
Federal employees who are laid off must wait until their last day of work to file a claim.
CDLE’s Unemployment Insurance Division lists these resources for new claimants:
The UI Claimant Guide steps out all parts of the UI process including filing, weekly payment requests/certifications, benefit amounts, and more.
The UI Quick Guide is an easy reminder of what claimants need to do to get started and maintain their benefits.
The Maintaining Your UI Eligibility Page steps out all the requirements to maintain eligibility and receive benefits weekly.
Most of the claim process can be handled through MyUI+, which now has a claim status tracker for claimants to monitor the status of their claim. For additional assistance, claimants can Contact the Unemployment Insurance Division.
The department said there is a mandatory one-week waiting period before a claim is activated.
