The Trump government’s aggressive push to slash national employment has hit a turbulent grab, as many companies change firings and restore employees just days after dismissing them. The Office of Personnel Management ( OPM) revised its own directive, leaving agencies to decide which workers stay or go, triggering confusion across federal departments, reported NYT.
Important employment cut—Then restored
Some critical functions were caught in the government’s cuts, only to be rapidly reinstated amid reaction:
- Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ): Fired 700 probationary employees, including those overseeing food safety and medical devices, only to restore dozens within a week.
- Agriculture Department: Reduce employees handling bird flu reply but later reversed some abortions due to the outbreak’s intensity.
- Energy Department: Laid off over 1, 000 people, including nuclear security personnel, before bringing some up within 24 hrs.
Political and legal force causes missteps
Public and political force forced the authorities to restore some workers, including:
- 9/11 Health Program: After republican backlash, the CDC reinstated 16 team members managing support for individuals.
- National Science Foundation: First reduce 168 people but restored 84 after a court decision favored military soldiers and families.
Judges act, stopping large layoffs
Legal fights have likewise stalled the president’s firings:
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Almost 200 people were fired but a prosecutor briefly halted the rejections.
- USAID: A organized split from 10, 000 to 290 team was paused by jury order, though layoffs after resumed.
The wave of firings and rehirings has left federal employees on edge, grappling with uncertainty as agencies scramble to balance budget cuts with operational needs. Experts warn the instability could undermine confidence in government institutions, as workers face abrupt job losses—only to be told to return days later.
