Fmr. federal workers consider leaving DMV, government field amidst gov’t shutdown, layoffs

WASHINGTON (7News) — Two weeks into the government shutdown, some federal workers said they’ve come to a crossroads and have to make life-changing decisions.

Some former federal workers said the shutdown is just one more layer added onto an already challenging year for federal employees. Many who thought this may have been a temporary adjustment told 7News that even if or when the government re-opens, they may have to turn away from a career field that once felt secure.

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A government attorney told us she had to leave the government, from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts to the furloughs, and now the government shutdown It’s all just too much for her.

“You have to choose whether you leave and try to make it better, which I can’t do anymore. Personally, I’m leaving the country because I can’t do it,” the woman who did not want to be identified said. She held a government role for 15 years.

Adam Bell is a recently retired military veteran, and he worked with the government for about five years.

“A lot of the reason why people go towards the federal government at one point, it used to be, you know, it was job security, you know, you weren’t paid a whole lot,” Bell said.

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Bell was let go in March and was actively looking and thought he could get placed in another government job. But then the shutdown happened.

“I’m at a point now where I have to make very significant financial decisions,” Bell said. “I held out that there was a possibility of coming back, which is why I stayed here versus packing up and moving, because unfortunately, my lease is up in December.”

Both former government employees told 7News they will have to decide whether they stay or go with their government careers and the DMV.

“I don’t have an income anymore, but that doesn’t mean my rent wasn’t late because my TSP disbursements were late. That doesn’t mean that my building, which knows that half of its residents are federal employees and aren’t getting paid, didn’t harass me for the rent,” the government attorney said. “I told them I have to wait for the government to open to pay me.”

Adam is still holding out hope that there’s a spot for him in government when the shutdown ends, but others feel it is too late.