The Probationary Project
This is the Home Page for all of the information related to the Probationary Project—a grassroots, journalistic information exercise* created and conducted by 40+ volunteer former probationary employees from across the federal government. The survey results are publicized and hosted by 27 UNIHTED.
Executive Summary and Key Finding Infographic
In February 2025, the federal government unlawfully fired thousands of probationary employees across nearly every agency in the Executive Branch. These were not performance-based terminations, although documentation from many probationary workers initially stated otherwise. In September, a federal court ruled the firings unlawful, while also noting most of these employees had "moved on." Individuals conducting this survey had not completely moved on, and they wanted to account for what others in their situation experienced. One year later, this survey documents what happened to many of these illegally fired probationary federal workers, and what it cost the American people.
Survey results are broken down into sections throughout the linked pages, including an introduction to respondents, the impacts respondents’ terminations had on the American public and the government workforce, levels of communication and transparency regarding these firings, and impacts to respondents’ career trajectories and personal lives.
The conclusion shares short data reflections and a set of potential solutions to protect probationary workers moving forward.
The information provided in these pages is not the result of a funded or otherwise research study; rather, it is the result of volunteers hoping to share their own stories and those of their peers to raise knowledge of the wide-ranging effects of these unlawful firings on respondents.
*Disclaimer: The survey did not request that respondents provide personal identifying information (PII), and results are published as aggregated responses for each question. Organizers did not verify the identity or status of respondents, and respondents self-selected to participate. No single question required an answer. Thus, the percentages for each question share only the respondents’ answers for that particular question, meaning the totals vary throughout the results. Respondents did not receive an incentive to complete the survey; participation was completely voluntary. This is not a research project.
The Probationary Respondents
This section showcases the different agencies impacted, different states impacted, the length of respondent’s probationary period, and reinstatement status of respondents. Respondents were located across the country in 43 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and from agencies and departments across the government.
Impacts to the American Public
Survey responses showed individuals from across the country working across the entire government in departments affecting many areas of life. Collectively, these responses indicate one thing: the loss of their positions will directly and indirectly cause human suffering. For example, respondents reported the following negative impacts to federal civil service:
Larger workload for remaining employees
Loss of institutional knowledge
Loss of young civil service talent
Reduced public services
The firings resulted in significant impacts to the government workforce due to the number of years many respondents worked as contractors prior to their federal service, and the fact that most fired employees held advanced degrees, with the most common education level being a master’s degree. This interactive dashboard goes into more details on just how much impact these firings have on the American public and the government workforce.
Government Transparency
A series of questions focused on the communications respondents received and respondents’ trust of leadership after the unlawful terminations. Only 16% of respondents reported that their agency/department was transparent about the termination and court hearings, and a significant portion of respondents said they did not trust their leadership.
Career-Level Impacts
This survey included questions about respondents’ job search, employment status, and new career salaries to get a sense of their statuses one year later.
The survey found that 21% of respondents remained unemployed as of January 31st, 2026, and 7% were worked part-time jobs. Of those who are employed, 49% reported earning “significantly lower” salaries, 19% reported “lower” salaries, and the remainder reported their salaries stayed the same or increased. Quotes collected reiterate the severity of career impacts.
Personal Impacts
This survey also gathered information about the personal repercussions of the firings on respondents, asking about mental health, well being, and financial metrics. Six months after their firing, respondents reported adverse effects on their mental health. More than 90% reported negative symptoms that affected their daily lives and personal wellbeing including depression or apathy, sleep disruptions, trouble concentrating, appetite changes, and/or thoughts of suicide. More than half of the respondents reported trauma-like experiences.
Conclusions and Next Steps
Across the board, responses indicated a lack of support for the government firings by respondents and their public counterparts, negative shifts in mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing, a clear lack of human services, and mismanagement of the firing process for respondents. Although this survey is not representative of every single probationary employee, the results collected point to permanent impacts for the vast majority of these respondents.
Organizers of this survey drafted policy parameters they think would be helpful to their community. These recommendations are a step towards rectifying the lives of those impacted and protecting the broader American public from reckless government rearrangement. Read through the entire policy draft by clicking the button below.
To you, the reader, thank you so much for investigating these firings and the aftermath. Please share the findings of this survey, share respondents’ stories, and support the federal workers in your life. They chose to serve for a reason, and the 40+ probationary employees who created this survey did so for the same reason: to continue to serve the American public.
Our Story and Methods
This survey was the product of collaboration by many people and organizations. Read the story of the probationary firings, how this survey came about, and the methods used for this survey.