The Collective Moral Injury of Government Employees & Contractors
21 Ways That Massive Government Disruption Harms Civil Servants' Integrity
A person was told to push the button.
A person had to press delete the U.S. government’s “forbidden words” from the official websites. Words included disability, diversity, biased, equality, gender, female, and cultural heritage.
A person had to take priceless public health and climate data sets used by researchers offline.
A person used to maintaining access to information had to pull down critical public health websites.
A person had to authorize access to sensitive national security information systems to unvetted DOGE individuals.
Refuse to comply? You might lose your job, your benefits, your pension. How would you pay your rent or buy groceries? If you don’t do it, they will find someone who will.
A deep-seated commitment to the public good often guides people who choose to work in civil service.
Civil servants are often committed to integrity, accountability, a sense of duty to the American public, dedication to public welfare, fairness, and a commitment to democracy. A government grounded in fairness and trust requires dedicated people to uphold these values.
Certainly, some civil servants agree with the actions of the Trump administration to cull DEI, public health, national security, and climate content. While not everyone will be at risk to the same degree, even witnessing someone else’s moral injury can be painful.
Reflecting on the recent directives from the Trump administration, I can’t help but imagine what it is like to be in these positions today. Many civil servants and government contractors have been placed in challenging positions, potentially leading to feelings of moral distress and perceptions of betrayal by their employer—the government.
Recently, Virginia Congressman Eugene Vindman held a virtual town hall for over 500 people to discuss threats to the federal workforce. Vindman told the Guardian:
“It’s chaos. It’s fear. It’s also uncertainty. What’s real and what’s not real?”
As I wrote recently, chaos breeds moral distress and moral injury.
Moral injury stems from contradicting our own deeply held values and beliefs - whether through our actions, inactions, or witnessing others’ behaviors.
It doesn’t take much imagination to see how civil servants are potentially being harmed by recent governmental chaos. And they are not just being harmed as individuals, they are being harmed en masse.
We are witnessing collective moral injury.
Below is a list of actions (commissions) or inactions (omissions) that civil servants and government contractors may have undertaken in response to administration orders, particularly concerning language related to marginalized communities, climate, health, and other community factors. I’ve included the potential values and deeply held beliefs that may have been threatened.
Removing DEI Content from Official Websites and Spaces: Employees were instructed to eliminate references to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from agency websites, documents, and physical spaces, leading to the erasure of valuable resources and information.
This act threatens:
Integrity by erasing previous public commitments to diversity and inclusion
Equity & Broad-mindedness by hiding information that supports fair treatment of all employees
Transparency by obscuring past and ongoing DEI efforts
Disbanding Employee Affinity Groups: Agencies mandated the dissolution of groups that provided support for minority and marginalized employees, stripping away essential support networks.
This act threatens:
Community & Belonging by eliminating spaces for marginalized employees to connect
Fairness & Universalism by denying certain employees support while allowing others to retain networks
Granting Security Access to Unvetted Individuals: Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employees are said to be given unprecedented access to national security information without proper security clearances and vetting.
This act threatens:
Security and Justice by giving access to individuals of unclear motives, backgrounds, and instructions
Safety by overriding reliable vetting processes to make sure access is only granted to those who can be trusted with sensitive information
Terminating DEI Programs: Staff members were directed to end DEI programs and initiatives, halting efforts aimed at promoting workplace diversity and inclusion.
This act threatens:
Justice by rolling back programs designed to rectify systemic inequities)
Security by reducing hard-won protections for employees from marginalized groups
Deleting Climate Data: Employees were ordered to remove climate-related data from public access, hindering research and public awareness on environmental issues.
This act threatens:
Truth & Scientific Integrity by suppressing evidence-based research
Responsibility by undermining efforts to address climate change impacts
Public Health & Safety by obstructing information crucial for environmental protections
Halting Environmental Justice Initiatives: The administration's cuts to environmental justice programs led to the suspension of projects aimed at addressing pollution in vulnerable communities.
This act threatens:
Social Responsibility by neglecting the well-being of communities facing pollution
Public Health & Security by endangering vulnerable populations
Suppressing Health Data: Staff were instructed to take down health-related datasets, including those on HIV, pregnancy prevention, and LGBTQ+ youth, limiting access to critical public health information.
This act threatens:
Public Health & Safety by limiting access to critical health information, including patients and healthcare workers
Honesty by obscuring accurate information, creating a vacuum for misinformation and disinformation
Compassion by denying marginalized communities access to these resources
Rescinding Affirmative Action Policies: Employees had to reverse policies that promoted affirmative action, likely leading to decreased diversity within the workforce.
This act threatens:
Fairness and Universalism by dismantling policies that help level the playing field for all people
Diversity by reducing representation in the workplace
Implementing Hiring Freezes: The administration's hiring freeze prevented agencies from filling essential positions, increasing workloads and stress among current employees.
This act threatens:
Stability & Job Security by preventing agencies from filling critical roles
Public Service by compromising efficiency in essential government functions
Enforcing In-Person Work Mandates: Employees were required to return to office settings, disregarding previous flexible work arrangements and potentially increasing health risks, ableist work environments, and gender disparities.
This act threatens:
Work-Life Balance by ignoring needs for flexibility, especially post-pandemic
Health & Safety by potentially exposing employees to health risks
Dismantling USAID Programs: Staff at the U.S. Agency for International Development faced directives to shut down global humanitarian assistance programs, including aid for lifesaving food, shelter, and medicine.
This act threatens:
Global Responsibility by abandoning international commitments
Compassion by reducing humanitarian aid and support
Censoring Scientific Communication: Scientists faced restrictions on communicating with international colleagues, hindering collaboration and the advancement of knowledge. Additionally, this censoring facilitates isolation, compounding moral injury.
This act threatens:
Truth & Integrity by blocking data sharing and knowledge advancement
Collaboration by hindering global scientific partnerships
Reducing Environmental Regulations: Employees were tasked with rolling back environmental protections, compromising public health and safety.
This act threatens:
Sustainability by compromising long-term environmental health
Public Safety by allowing pollution and harmful industrial practices
Eliminating Transgender Protections: Directives were issued to remove protections for transgender individuals in the military and other federal programs, leading to potential discrimination and decreased safety.
This act threatens:
Human Dignity by stripping away rights from vulnerable populations
Fairness by enabling workplace discrimination
Promoting Fossil Fuels: Employees were directed to shift focus towards fossil fuel promotion, at the expense of renewable energy initiatives.
This act threatens:
Environmental Responsibility by prioritizing short-term economic gain over sustainability
Public Health by increased pollution affects communities
Investigating DEI Policies in Private Companies: The Department of Justice initiated investigations into companies with DEI policies, creating tension between the government and private sector diversity efforts.
This act threatens:
Fairness by discouraging companies from promoting equitable hiring practices
Autonomy by interfering with private business practices
Removing Gender-Inclusive Language: Agencies were instructed to eliminate gender-inclusive terminology from official documents, alienating and erasing non-binary and transgender individuals.
This act threatens:
Inclusion by denying the existence and rights of non-binary and transgender individuals
Respect by erasing language that affirms diverse identities, implying the erasure of those people
Suspending Foreign Aid: A freeze on foreign aid programs was implemented, affecting international development projects and partnerships.
This act threatens:
Global Responsibility by withdrawing support from vulnerable nations
Compassion by reducing humanitarian outreach
Reducing Public Health Communications: Health agencies were directed to limit external communications, potentially hindering public access to important health information.
This act threatens:
Transparency by limiting public access to health-related information
Public Safety by failing to inform people about risks and health issues
Restructuring Federal Agencies: Employees faced significant organizational changes, including potential job eliminations, leading to job insecurity and increased stress.
This act threatens:
Job Security by creating instability for employees facing layoffs, unclear expectations, and uncertain futures
Public Service by disrupting essential government functions
Limiting Data Collection on Race and Gender: Agencies were ordered to stop collecting data on race and gender, impeding efforts to address disparities and promote equity.
This act threatens:
Accountability by preventing tracking of systemic inequities
Equity by eliminating evidence needed to advocate for marginalized groups
At every step, people’s deepest-held values have been threatened.
A person was told to push the button.
These actions disrupt the professional responsibilities of civil servants and government contractors and challenge their personal and ethical values. They also collectively threaten many of our national values.
The conflict between following directives (duty) and upholding principles of equity, environmental stewardship, and public health can lead to profound moral distress and a sense of betrayal by the very institutions they serve.
If you are a current or former civil servant or government contractor, I hope this post helped you feel seen and less alone.
If you’re interested in sharing your experiences of moral distress and moral injury related to the Trump administration’s recent actions, please contact me to discuss how you might do so safely.
Thanks for this. I’ve been trying to put a name to what I’m going through.
Also you’ve been told since January 20 that your work is less productive than private sector work and your job is useless unless proven otherwise. Cruel.