(CLO) Federal employees who were laid off en masse under the Trump administration's streamlining campaign were shocked and disgruntled, as well as concerned that the cuts would affect the ability to provide public services.
President Trump claims he is cutting wasteful spending and retooling the civilian workforce to better serve the administration’s policies. But many of the laid-off employees received impersonal emails, with the primary reason being that they were “unqualified” to continue working.
Protesters outside the Office of Personnel Management in Washington, DC, protesting federal government layoffs. Photo: GI
"We get notices citing probationary period regulations, saying we're being fired because we don't fit the agency's needs," said attorney Elizabeth Aniskevich of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Greg House, a disabled veteran, said the firings were done “insensitively” and without regard to the impact on people. “Nobody joins the federal government to get rich,” he said.
Five state unions have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that the layoffs were illegal because they violated “downsizing” procedures. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had previously required agencies to report the number of probationary employees fired.
The long-term impact of the layoffs has been a concern, especially as agencies such as the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are already facing severe staff shortages. The reductions are affecting the processing of applications, veteran support projects, and drug approvals.
OPM data as of May 2024 shows that about 216,000 federal employees are on probation. The agencies most affected include the Veterans Health Administration (56,000), the Department of Health and Human Services (5,200) and the Centers for Disease Control (1,300).
Sen. Richard Blumenthal declared that “Trump is firing probationers because it’s easy, not because it’s good for veterans or saves money.”
Ngoc Anh (according to CBS, AFP)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nguoi-lao-dong-my-soc-va-tuc-gian-ve-chinh-sach-sa-thai-hang-loat-post334618.html
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