Councilmembers Propose Re-employment Assistance for Federal Talent
Published on March 05, 2025
SAN ANTONIO (March 5, 2025) – In response to recent workforce reductions at the federal level, San Antonio District 8 Councilmember Manny Pelaez and District 4 Councilmember Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia are proposing the Re-employment Assistance for Federal Talent (RAFT) program to provide essential support to displaced federal employees in San Antonio and COSA employees whose positions are federally funded.
According to Workforce Solutions Alamo (WSA) and Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), the total civilian labor force in the San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA is approximately 1.2 million, meaning federal non-military employees constitute roughly 2.9 percent of the total workforce. WSA acknowledges that although it is not yet known how many federal employees in San Antonio will be affected by workforce reductions, if a portion of federal non-military employees are impacted, it could have implications for regional employment levels, consumer activity, and business operations.
The RAFT would call on the City of San Antonio to:
- Consider filling new COSA job vacancies with COSA employees whose positions are federally funded and qualified federal workers who were recently laid off
- Actively recruit the most qualified federal workers, streamline their application process, and expedite their onboarding process
- Host federal-employee specific San Antonio Ready to Work job training and placements services; hosting multiple job fairs in partnership with local industries that are hiring, such as healthcare, technology, financial services, and the industries with the most job openings.
- Immediately begin coordinating with local nonprofit partners to provide laid-off federal workers with job search assistance, workers' compensation claims submission, rental assistance, and other stabilization services
“The federal government may be laying off workers, but San Antonio is hiring,” said the District 8 Councilmember. “Federal employees bring valuable experience and skillsets that can greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our city. San Antonio has always stood by its residents in times of need, and through this initiative, we can once again reaffirm our commitment to the well-being and stability of our community.”
“Workforce reductions come with implications that affect entire communities,” said the District 4 Councilmember. “The unprecedented, sweeping cuts affecting our nation have hit San Antonio harder than any other Texas city, so acting fast to mitigate the consequences should continue to be prioritized. We as a city can mobilize to help our neighbors, and the RAFT program is our first start.”
The councilmembers urge the Governance Committee to prioritize the consideration of this critical program and move quickly to provide much-needed support to the individuals who have given their time and talents to public service.