'It's devastating': Utah federal employee scrambles for work after mass layoff

    SALT LAKE CITY (KSL) -- Some Utah federal workers are among the thousands losing their jobs due to probationary employee layoffs nationwide.

One Utah federal worker, who wished to remain anonymous, worked at the Wallace F. Bennett building in downtown Salt Lake City. He told KSL-TV he was just one paycheck away from being granted civil protections for his job, but instead, he's scrambling to find new work.

"It's devastating. I was really, really looking forward to this position, worked really hard to get to where I am," he said.

The worker asked for his identity to be concealed for fear of retaliation. He is the breadwinner and a father who has worked for nearly the last year processing data for the U.S. Department of the Interior.

On Friday, he got an email stating he was being terminated immediately without any severance pay.

"Your subject matter, knowledge, skills and abilities do not meet the department's current needs," he read.

And he's upset.

"Yeah, I'm angry. It was clearly, to me — it doesn't seem like I was given the opportunity to defend my work," the worker said.

The firing of probationary workers like him nationwide sparked protests and outrage against President Donald Trump, who is now defending his decisions.

"This country has made more progress in the last three weeks than it's made in the last four years," Trump said, speaking to press on Sunday.

For this Utah man's family, that progress is a major setback, and they fear how they'll provide for their children.

"It's all we can think about. It's been all I could think about since I first saw that notice," the worker said.

For now, his job is as a stay-at-home dad as the search begins for a new career.