Great thread/question! After weeks of despair, I started feeling better late last week. It hit me like a ton of bricks that much of this is performative nonsense. I work for an agency that's been pretty strategic with protecting its employees, not having us respond to Elon's bullsht emails, etc. Even our dismissed DEI employees are back now. They are doing different work but back.

So, to answer your question, yes, my stress is down, and I can tell because I'm not checking the jobs forum as much, lol. No, I don't think we are out of the woods, but I feel much better than I had been.

Anonymous wrote:RIF takes time to formulate ranking orders. That’s why things appear quiet. You better believe every agency is putting together lists.

Unless you're GSA, where they decide to take the easy way out and just fire entire divisions/offices - no need to rank people when you axe that way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel calm for now. I will worry about things when they happen.

This. We’re in for a long haul, people. Constantly freaking out does no good, at all. It’s what they want us to do. Staying calm is resisting.

That, and as a supervisor, I can’t afford to be flipping the f out all the time.

This. They talk a lot of talk, but when I look at it immediately surroundings, dry little has changed other than the fact that I see my staff in person a bit more. Not that what HAS happened elsewhere isn’t horrible—it’s just not happening to me and there’s very little I can do to help other than stay calm and competent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO. why is this even a question?

+1 The Supreme Court ruled today by only a 5-4 margin that the US Government needs to pay its bills for work that had been contracted and completed before Trump's funding freezes. How it was only 5-4 vote that the US Govt could stiff workers/vendors and weasel out of its contractual obligations, I will never understand. We're becoming a banana republic.

That was a disturbingly low margin. I wasn’t expecting much from the court but vaguely hoped there might be some decency left among the conservative justices. It doesn’t bode well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO. why is this even a question?

+1 The Supreme Court ruled today by only a 5-4 margin that the US Government needs to pay its bills for work that had been contracted and completed before Trump's funding freezes. How it was only 5-4 vote that the US Govt could stiff workers/vendors and weasel out of its contractual obligations, I will never understand. We're becoming a banana republic.

Were the 4 the usual suspects?

Anonymous wrote:I feel calm for now. I will worry about things when they happen.

This. We’re in for a long haul, people. Constantly freaking out does no good, at all. It’s what they want us to do. Staying calm is resisting.

That, and as a supervisor, I can’t afford to be flipping the f out all the time.

Well my agency sent an email calling remote workers back to work within a month, then tried to recall it an hour later, then sent ANOTHER email calling back remote workers. So, no, things have not calmed down.

I feel calm for now. I will worry about things when they happen.

Anonymous wrote:NO. why is this even a question?

I think some people are getting off on the misery

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:false sense of security. The RIFs are coming but I’m hoping these recent court battles and the economist crashing indicate that things are not in their favor and there will be pushback and a slowing down of the recklessness. Then again, my guard is fully up preparing for the worst.

The economic stuff we see now relates to tariffs, not us. The impact from the RIFs will occur at a later date.

What economy are you looking at? Tariffs aren’t even fully in effect yet.

Anonymous wrote:Taking a pulse check on how you're all feeling. It seems, at least at my Agency, things are settling a bit. Does anyone else feel better about getting through this?

I don't want to leave my job if I don't HAVE to.

Not really. We received a terrifying (to me) tasker today, which gave a hint of plans to come. Basically my job appears to be on the chopping block. I am scrambling to move.

Anonymous wrote:NO. why is this even a question?

+1 The Supreme Court ruled today by only a 5-4 margin that the US Government needs to pay its bills for work that had been contracted and completed before Trump's funding freezes. How it was only 5-4 vote that the US Govt could stiff workers/vendors and weasel out of its contractual obligations, I will never understand. We're becoming a banana republic.

NO. why is this even a question?

Anonymous wrote:lol no. I am calmer because I am numb, but we are still waiting on the RIF plans that are due next week, to be refined for several months. And people at other agencies are still getting fired left and right. That does not lead to a feeling that things are calm.

THIS

Anonymous wrote:lol no. I am calmer because I am numb, but we are still waiting on the RIF plans that are due next week, to be refined for several months. And people at other agencies are still getting fired left and right. That does not lead to a feeling that things are calm.

This is the only logical response.