Agencies scramble to rehire federal workers after DOGE layoffs
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Some federal agencies are trying to rehire employees axed during DOGE's firing spree this year, while others are scrambling to fill vacancies created by the layoffs, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: While it's difficult to get the exact number of federal workers who have been fired, the New York Times estimates about 135,000 people had either been let go or voluntarily resigned as of May 12.
- And some of those nixed roles are critical for necessary functions like drug approval and predicting dangerous weather.
State of play: Agencies rehiring employees include the State Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Food and Drug Administration, and the IRS, the Post found.
- After the FDA fired thousands of employees in April, some were told three weeks later via their personal cells and emails that their firing had been rescinded and they were wanted back in the office the following day.
Meanwhile, after the IRS let go of thousands of probationary workers in February, managers were told Monday, May 19, that these same workers would be returning to the office that Friday — such a quick about-face that many wouldn't initially have a laptop or desk.
- After USAID was shuttered this year, a few former employees received employment offers from the State Department, which is now in charge of handing out foreign aid.
Other agencies, like the National Weather Service (NWS) and HUD, are reassigning workers to cover vacancies; NWS is also now hiring new roles to make up for the drop in numbers.
The intrigue: Some of the workers who've peaced out don't want to return, so the administration is trying to get around this by asking existing employees to work overtime, take on new roles, or volunteer to fill the empty spots.
What they're saying: The move is heightening wariness among federal employees already sapped from DOGE's whirlwind house cleaning.
- "They wanted to show they were gutting the government, but there was no thought about what parts might be worth keeping," an FDA staffer told the Post. "Now it feels like it was all just a game to them."
The other side: "Each agency has made an appropriate determination as to who should be on the payroll in the respective agency," a White House official told the Post.
- The official also acknowledged that some people were mistakenly let go: "If by chance mistakes were made and critical employees were dismissed, each individual agency is working diligently to bring these people back to work to continue the adequate functions of the federal government."
Between the lines: Meanwhile, thousands of federal employees are returning to work as several overlapping court cases overturn President Trump's mass dismissals and attempts to shutter agencies.
- Some judges have ruled that the Trump administration cannot proceed with firings while litigation unfolds, but others have allowed the firings.
- The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to allow it to move forward with firings as some of these legal disputes proceed.
What we're watching: Trump wants to cut 107,000 federal jobs during the next fiscal year, per his 2026 budget.
- The agencies most affected would be the Department of Education, the Office of Personnel Management, the General Services Administration, the Small Business Administration and NASA.