Job losses, when they come, in the USG are almost entirely from hiring freezes and attrition, they do not layoff and it is very hard to get fired. Even if an entire department is closed, all employees are offered jobs elsewhere–which they can choose not to take, but it is a choice.
I am pretty sure it takes an act of congress to have the equivalent of a civil service layoff.
For better or worse, govie jobs are still very safe.
