Mass firings are underway at federal agencies, with probationary employees being terminated at the Department of Education and the Small Business Administration.
These firings mark the first under President Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency as they push to drastically reduce the federal workforce. Until now, employees across government agencies had only been placed on paid administrative leave.
A termination letter sent to Department of Education employees stated: “The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest.”
At the Department of Education, employees from multiple divisions—including the general counsel’s office, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, and the Federal Student Aid office—have been impacted, according to a union source. While dozens of employees have reported being fired, the total number remains unclear.
The American Federation of Government Employees represents about 160 Department of Education employees classified under probationary status. Similar termination letters were sent to Small Business Administration employees on Tuesday, though the extent of the dismissals at the agency was not immediately known.
