Federal employees remain on probation anywhere from one to two years after being hired, depending on their agency, a status that still comes with workplace protections but makes them easier to remove.
The directive by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) officials could impact as many as 200,000 federal employees.
A source familiar with OPM said agency leaders have directed agencies to fire all probationary employees “with some exceptions.” It was not immediately clear what those exceptions were or the extent of discretion given to agencies.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, pledged to fight the layoffs, saying they would hinder government performance.
Some of the agencies that have announced dismissals:
The Trump administration has also used two other methods to cull the workforce: an executive order from President Trump directing agencies to undertake a reduction in force and the “Fork in the Road” program offering federal workers a buyout.
Agencies across government, including OPM, have already begun carrying out their layoffs of probationary employees.
Reports from numerous outlets spelled out plans to fire probationary workers at the Department of Energy, the Department of Education and the Small Business Administration.
It’s not clear whether such widespread firings of employees still on probation is legal.
The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch takes it from here.
