OKLAHOMA CITY – President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, led by Elon Musk, has continued to reduce the size of the government.
“I think we do need to delete entire agencies,” Musk said in a previous interview with NBC News.
The directive is aimed at probationary employees, those who have only been on the job for one or two years. There are more than 200,000 federal employees nationwide.
“Our impact in Oklahoma has been relatively small compared to other states,” said Christopher O’Brien, Vice President of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.
“But we are very well aware of what could happen, and so we’re very much prepared internally to see and even the larger spike.”
Despite the small impact so far, some are wondering if current or soon-to-be former federal employees in Oklahoma are eligible for unemployment benefits.
“Every citizen’s right is to file a claim for unemployment,” O’Brien said. “So regardless of the reason you were separated, you can still file a claim for unemployment.”
According to the OESC, the following are the main eligibility requirements:
- Are unemployed through no fault of their own.
- Are able and available to seek and accept work.
- Earned a minimum of $1,500 from a covered employer during their base period.
- Meet the “1 and 1/2 rule” which states that the total wages of the base period must be at least one and a half times the amount of wages earned during the highest quarter of an individual’s base period.
According to NBC News, letters sent to a number of employees referenced poor performance as the reason for their termination. Even if this is the case, you can still receive unemployment benefits.
“Performance reasons aren’t necessarily misconduct reasons,” O’Brien said. “That does not necessarily imply that there is any type of misconduct associated with the separation. Misconduct would prevent you from receiving benefits.
According to O’Brien, the most efficient way to file is online. He suggested gathering as much documentation as possible to speed up the process.
“We don’t want to lose anybody federal or otherwise who’s become separated to another state,” O’Brien told reporters. “We want to present them with opportunities to stay in Oklahoma.”
This is a link to the OESC claimant handbook.
