Trump administration begins firing probationary staff
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 11: People hold signs as they gather for a “Save the Civil Service” rally hosted by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) outside the U.S. Capitol on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Unionized federal workers and members of congress denounced President Trump and his alliesincluding Elon Musk, head of the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge)for purging federal prosecutors, forcing out civil servants with dubious buyouts, and attempting to shutter USAID, all while branding government employees the “enemy of the people.” (Photo by Kent Nishimura / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Washington, United States — US President Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly begun laying off probationary employees as it moves to the next stage of its plans to aggressively shrink the federal workforce.
More than 200,000 recently hired federal workers are currently serving out their probationary period, according to the most recently available government data.
The Trump administration directed agency heads to terminate most trial and probationary staff, who have fewer civil service protections, US media reported Thursday.
READ: Federal workers’ groups file suit to stop Trump’s USAID shutdown
An employee who was laid off from her job at the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) told AFP on condition of anonymity that she had been fired during a video call to which close to 100 employees had been invited.
The employee, and several other participants, were still serving out their probationary periods. All were told they were being let go for performance purposes.
Shortly after the call ended, the employee received a letter from acting OPM director Charles Ezell confirming she had been fired. Her access was cut off less than an hour later.
Spokespeople for OPM and the White House press offices did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Thursday’s actions follow a White House push — led by OPM — to shrink the number of government workers by offering them eight months’ pay to resign.
The email with the resignation offer, titled “Fork in the Road,” also noted that those who did not accept risked being let go in future culls.
More than 65,000 federal employees accepted the buyout offer from OPM, the White House said.
One employee at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) who spoke with AFP, reported accepting the OPM’s offer to resign out of concern of otherwise being fired.
“This was my dream job,” said the employee, who was not on probation but who had been at HUD for less time — and thus had less job security — than many other colleagues.
“It just became very clear to me that the writing is on the wall,” the employee said.
“I might as well take the best cushion I have to put myself in the best situation to take the time I need to find a new position.”
A HUD spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
