A new government estimate, along with a study by the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, provides a long-awaited window into the scale of the departures.

© Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times

The guidance protects employees and supervisors seeking to recruit fellow federal workers to their religion. The Clinton White House issued similar guidelines in 1997, though with more caveats.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

Fired employees have struggled to get a judge to hear their cases because Congress set up a separate system to referee such employment disputes.

© Al Drago for The New York Times

More than 750 workers have resigned with incentives, and more than 150 others have resigned without. The agency has also laid off 129 people.

© Tierney L. Cross/Reuters

One thing is clear from a reporter’s conversations with laid-off federal workers this year: The cuts have been anything but straightforward and efficient.

© Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times