In response to a series of federal worker layoffs spearheaded by Elon Musk’s DOGE, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins said the city has put together a new webpage to support federal workers.
The page includes a “comprehensive guide for federal workers transitioning into new fields”, a list of available City of Alexandria jobs, and information about other emergency safety net services like child care, food and housing assistance.
“Alexandria is home to over 13,000 federal workers — dedicated public servants who play a vital role in keeping our government running,” Gaskins wrote in her newsletter. “These individuals are not just residents of our city; they are the backbone of the agencies that process federal funds, oversee essential programs, and ensure that the critical services we rely on continue to function smoothly.”
Gaskins said the webpage was spurred on by concerns about the layoffs.
“Over the past month, I have received numerous emails about the impacts of the Trump Administration’s policies on federal workers, contractors and their families,” Gaskins wrote. “The City is working to ensure that federal workers are supported.”
Gaskins said the City of Alexandria is also partnering with Congressman Don Beyer, the City of Falls Church, Arlington County and Fairfax County for a pop-up resource fair on Saturday, March 8, from noon to 5 p.m. at Wakefield High School (1325 S. Dinwiddie Street).
While there’s no official count of how many workers have been laid off, USA Today put an estimate at over 100,000 workers. The dramatic mass firings have already started to have an impact on Alexandria’s fiscal planning with City Manager James Parajon expressing concerns about the impact layoffs could have on the city’s economy over the next year.
“Obviously our national and local economy are changing pretty dramatically as we sit here today,” Parajon said at the budget presentation last week. “Uncertainty is a word you’ll hear over and over again tonight. Without a timeframe for when these actions take place, it’s hard to be certain when we’re going to respond to those.”
