Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich welcomed Maryland Labor Secretary Portia Wu (pictured) on last week’s media briefing to discuss the impact of the federal government transition on federal employees, contractors and other workers throughout the county. Elrich made strong comments about the “rampage against the foundation of the government” and said that what is being done isn’t about efficiency. Elrich fears for the ripple effect throughout the area and a potential recession.
Wu says it’s critical that the state of Maryland supports its residents during these uncertain times. She underscores that Maryland has the second highest concentration of federal employees of any jurisdiction in the country — second only to Washington, DC. Moreover, regarding the ripple effect, Wu says over 225,000 jobs in Maryland are supported by federal contract dollars.
Wu directs those impacted to this dedicated webpage providing information on unemployment benefits, reemployment resources, and instructions to signup for weekly virtual workshops on Wednesdays, 9am-noon. She also encourages the use of American Job Centers throughout the state.
Watch to hear the full discussion, including a Q&A portion from residents.
