LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada Assembly members are calling on Gov. Joe Lombardo to consider hiring employees who have been laid off from the federal government.
The move comes as layoffs sweep the nation at multiple federal agencies, some of which are present right here in Southern Nevada.
In fact, on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that the Trump administration has plans to cut 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs. We spoke with federal workers union American Federation of Government Employees who told us that, so far, 20 VA employees have been laid off in Southern Nevada.
▶ Watch Keeping tabs on DOGE cuts impacting the Las Vegas Valley
So what are state lawmakers proposing?
Hire fired federal employees to the state's workforce.
Assembly leaders presented their concerns to Lombardo in a letter on Wednesday, urging him to address the layoffs that could affect the near 20,000 federal workers in Nevada. According to Assembly leaders, these federal workers are at risk of losing more than just their incomes, but also Medicaid benefits as potential federal cuts to the program continue to circulate.
Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the nation and slow-moving job growth — an issue that state lawmakers brought up in their letter — and they said federal layoffs will only fan the flames higher. But a possible solution, in part, has been proposed to bring some alleviation.
"By taking swift action to integrate these fired federal workers into vacant state government roles, we can reduce our unemployment rate, ensure that essential public services remain strong, and, most importantly, ensure that Nevadans can provide for their families," Assembly leaders said.
Initiatives to assist fired federal workers are already underway in states such as Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Mexico.
Lombardo has repeatedly called for bipartisan cooperation in the state government, and now, state Democrats are presenting a problem that they say is not a partisan issue, but rather one of "economic stability and responsible governance."
Assembly leaders are asking Lombardo to present plans of action to state lawmakers by March 18.
▶ Watch Nevada Legislature starts with commitments to bipartisanship, but will it hold?
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