Thousands of federal workers were dismissed Thursday as part of the first round of Trump’s reduction in the size of government. The dismissals targeted probationary employees, that is, those employees with less than two years of service, because they have little job protection.
Recent hires in probationary status do not maintain the same protections against firings as do most other federal workers, though they can still appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board if they allege the firings took place for partisan political reasons.
Earlier this week, OPM convened a call with federal agencies’ general counsels and instructed them not to pursue widespread firings of probationary period workers. Instead, OPM said, they should terminate only such workers that they have deemed poor performers.
Still, the dismissals have taken place on a widespread basis at least at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Small Business Administration, Education Department, General Services Administration and, now, OPM itself.
The action took place two days after a federal judge reinstated Trump’s buyout plan. Apparently, if a probationary employee had accepted the buyout, they were spared immediate dismissal.
It was not immediately clear how many of those hired by the federal government within the last two years would be affected. One person familiar with the matter said some employees, such as those working on public safety and law enforcement issues, would be spared, and agency heads could exempt others.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing federal workers, said in a statement his union would “fight these firings every step of the way,” including by pursuing “every legal challenge available.”
“Employees were given no notice, no due process, and no opportunity to defend themselves in a blatant violation of the principles of fairness and merit that are supposed to govern federal employment,” Kelley said.
Great, now let them find a real job where they actually have to perform and not just show up to get paid. Oh and many didn’t even have to show up.
7:25 – you are absolutely right. I work in DC and they brag about how easy it is and that they’ll be there for life. Now they are protesting and complaining that they’ll will have to get real jobs where they actually have to work. Meanwhile I’m busting my butt working crazy hours for no pension and crap health insurance and they have the nerve to cry about it. Waaaawaaawaaa!
Don’t give up 10:46, things are looking up for us people actually willing to work