Court Orders Reinstatement of Thousands While Communication Gaps Persist
Workers at various Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies are receiving extended administrative leave following a federal judge’s ruling that probationary employees must be reinstated. However, many affected employees report being left in limbo with no communication from supervisors or HR departments.
Inconsistent Notification Process Causes Confusion
Employees at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) have received notifications through different channels – some via email, others through phone calls. Meanwhile, many others have heard nothing despite the court-imposed 1 p.m. ET deadline for compliance.
“I’m actually not sure what my leave or employment status currently is, in all honesty,” said one fired worker who was granted anonymity.
Court Ruling Delivers Strong Rebuke to Administration
The judge’s ruling represents the strongest legal resistance yet to the administration’s efforts to reshape the federal workforce. The order mandates reinstatement of probationary employees across nearly all federal agencies, with only the Department of Defense, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and National Archives and Records Administration exempted.
Widespread Impact and Government Resources
The court acknowledged the significant impact of this ruling, noting it would “require the government to expend considerable resources.” With an estimated 24,000 probationary employees affected (a figure the government did not dispute), the judge determined the administration should not “benefit from chaos of its own making.”
Future Plans for Federal Workforce
Despite the court order, reports indicate HHS is planning additional workforce reductions, including potentially cutting SAMHSA by 50% and reducing the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology from 180 to 30 employees. The OPM has also instructed agencies to review collective bargaining agreements that might “interfere” with firing rights.
The judge emphasized that if the government wishes to continue workforce reductions, it must “start from square one, acting in compliance with federal law.”
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