Mass firings have commenced across several federal agencies as part of President Donald Trump's initiative to significantly reduce the federal workforce. According to Newsweek, the Department of Education, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) are among the affected agencies.

These actions follow a federal judge's decision to allow the administration's deferred resignation program to proceed, with about 75,000 employees accepting the offer to leave their jobs while still being paid through September.

The firings primarily target probationary employees, who lack the same job protections as other federal workers. Government Executive reports that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) initially instructed agencies to compile lists of probationary employees, emphasizing their vulnerability to termination. However, OPM later advised agencies to dismiss only those deemed poor performers.

At the CFPB, termination notices were sent to all probationary staff as the agency faces potential closure under the leadership of Acting Director Russ Vought. The Small Business Administration also issued termination notices, although some were later retracted and then reissued.

The Trump administration's efforts to downsize the federal workforce include incentivizing early retirements and implementing a "deferred resignation program." President Trump has also issued an executive order requiring agencies to hire only one new employee for every four who leave, aiming for significant workforce reductions.

Legal challenges are anticipated as unions and employees contest the mass firings.

Ross Kaminsky