Has DOGE handed you a pink slip? Federal workers might be able to land a job at KCMO
Attention fired federal workers: Those who lost jobs due to recent cutbacks by President Trump might soon be getting preferential treatment for landing a position on the Kansas City payroll.
The City Council last week instructed the city manager to help laid off federal worker fill some of the hundreds of open positions in the city’s workforce. The resolution co-sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw and Councilman Eric Bunch directs the city to “expedite the hiring process” for those former federal workers and “implement certain streamlining procedures.”
The resolution gives no specifics on how that is going to be accomplished, but says that the city manager shall implement streamlined procedures for federal employees. At a minimum that would mean initiating an expedited application review and interview schedule and recognizing their equivalent federal experience for meeting job qualifications. It also says the city should give federal employees preference when their experience matches that of others in line for the same job.
The council told the city manager to report back in 60 days with a plan and provide quarterly updates thereafter.
About 100 workers at the Internal Revenue Service office in Kansas City have been let go, as have probationary employees at other agencies around town, but there’s no definitive public statistic as of yet. Thousands of layoffs are feared, however.
About 900 of the city’s 4,000-plus authorized positions are vacant. Federal workers needn’t wait to apply, however. They can visit the city job opportunities page or can contact the city’s personnel office. The email address is jobs@kcmo.org and the phone number is (816) 513-1929.
One thing to know is that Kansas City has a residency requirement. New hires who live outside the city limits have nine months to establish residency.
This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 11:40 AM.
