The Social Security Administration could lose at least 7,000 workers under recommended staff cuts by DOGE. That could lead to serious delays in benefits processing.
In Valley County, Idaho, for example, data show that the Forest Service is the area’s third largest employer — ahead of a school district, the local hospital and a major ski resort.
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Workers are surveyed during reference week, the seven days that include the 12th day of the month. February’s reference week happened before a lot of the federal cuts.
Patricia Gross, 47, has worked as an independent government contractor with various nonprofits since 2018. Those nonprofits are now out of work, and so is Gross.