When we consider Maryland's labor outlook, the numbers are staggering.
More than 25,000 federal jobs lost in 2025, with 10,000 lost in October and November alone.
And behind each of those figures are Maryland residents facing real uncertainty about what comes next.
On Midday, unemployment in Maryland: who is being hit hardest and how can job-seekers find a path forward?
Guest host Farai Chideya, a journalist, author, podcaster and social commentator, talks with Maryland Labor Secretary Portia Wu about how the massive federal layoffs have affected the state's labor force. Which emerging industries could provide jobs for Maryland’s workforce in the years ahead?
Farai then speaks with two economists, Ofronama Biu, of the Maven Collaborative, and Dr. Linda Loubert, a political economist and Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP), at Morgan State University. The pair bring insight into a growing unemployment crisis among Black women in Maryland and beyond.
And later, Farai talks with author and career coach Dr. Joi Brown, who has spent decades helping federal workers transition into new careers. A longtime member of the federal workforce herself, Brown shares advice for anyone recently laid off or considering their career's next chapter.
