A surprising move shook up the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on a Thursday afternoon. Recent hires, those who had been working for less than a year or two, found themselves out of a job. This wasn't an isolated incident; it's part of a bigger trend across various government agencies.

        The Trump administration has been actively looking for ways to reduce the size of the federal workforce. One of their strategies involves targeting probationary employees, who don't have the same job security as other federal workers. These employees can still challenge their terminations if they believe political reasons were involved.

        This isn't the first time agencies have been told to gather lists of probationary employees. Back on President Trump's first day in office, OPM asked agencies to do just that. Some agencies even sent reminders to these employees about their status and the possibility of sudden terminations.

        The firings have been widespread. Agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Small Business Administration, Education Department, and General Services Administration have all seen similar actions. OPM itself is now on that list.

        Around 250 employees at OPM were hired in the past year. The exact number of those terminated on that Thursday is unclear. Those who were let go received a termination notice stating that their performance didn't meet the public interest standards.

        On an internal call, an OPM official broke the news to the affected employees. They were given a tight deadline to pack up and leave the building. Employees were told to leave any government equipment behind and those not in the office were sent a box to return these items.

        The official on the call acknowledged the difficulty of the situation but encouraged the employees to see this as a step forward. The spokesperson for OPM did not comment on the situation.

        OPM has been dealing with multiple lawsuits recently, including concerns about privacy violations. The Trump administration's efforts to downsize the federal workforce include offering early retirements, shutting down some agencies, and planning for significant layoffs.

        On Tuesday, Trump issued an executive order requiring agencies to hire only one new employee for every four who leave, once the hiring freeze is lifted. This order also plans for significant reductions in force.

        The Trump administration's approach to workforce reduction raises questions about the balance between efficiency and job security. It's a complex issue that affects not only the employees but also the services provided to the public.

New Hires Out the Door at OPM

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