The Trump administration is reversing its directive to fire probationary federal employees, following legal intervention. This decision comes after a federal judge in California temporarily blocked the administration's order, which targeted employees in various government agencies. The reversal marks a significant development in the administration's ongoing effort to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
A current federal employee at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation, highlighted the impact of these firings. Under the directive, at least 20,000 government workers were dismissed in the first month of the Trump administration. Notably, approximately 5,000 employees from agencies managing national parks and forests were affected, alongside more than 1,000 probationary workers from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The mass layoffs were largely guided by instructions from Elon Musk’s "department of government efficiency" (Doge), emphasizing a push for increased productivity. However, probationary employees, typically with less than a year of experience, were disproportionately targeted.
“Most of these changes are not only going to harm federal employees, but also everyone else who lives in the US,”
The US Forest Service was poised to dismiss over 3,000 workers before the court's intervention. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) clarified its stance on the issue through a memorandum.
“Please note that, by this memorandum, OPM [office of personnel management] is not directing agencies to take any specific performance-based actions regarding probationary employees. Agencies have ultimate decision-making authority over, and responsibility for, such personnel actions,”
The decision to walk back on the directive comes after scrutiny over its potential impact on both federal employees and broader societal implications.
“Cutting federal employees is not going to make inflation magically go down or their eggs become cheaper.”