Gary Phelan Criticizes DOGE Layoffs as "Worst Practices"
03/10/2025HSSK Partner Gary Phelan, in an opinion piece he wrote for CT Hearst publications, sharply criticized the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for its handling of federal layoffs, calling it a case study in “Worst Practices.” He argues that DOGE ignored legal requirements, lacked clear termination criteria, and created chaos with conflicting messages—most notably Musk’s 48-hour email demanding work summaries under vague threats of termination.
More than 100 lawsuits have already been filed, with courts ruling in favor of employees in several cases. Phelan contrasts DOGE’s haphazard approach with the Clinton administration’s structured workforce reduction, which saved taxpayers billions. He also draws parallels to Musk’s Twitter layoffs, which have resulted in costly legal battles. In DOGE’s case, however, taxpayers will foot the bill.
Phelan warns that prioritizing ideology over strategy in workforce reductions leads to legal and financial disaster.