Firings have begun at federal agencies
(CNN, KYMA/KECY) - Scores of firings are underway at the Department of Education (DoE) and Small Business Administration.
It's part of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's government efficiency efforts to shrink the federal workforce.
The move had been anticipated, but until now, impacted federal employees had been placed on paid administrative leave.
The firings impact probationary workers.
Most federal agencies have a period that can last up to a year or longer where new hires are considered probationary. However, the letter workers received made it sound as if they were being fired for cause.
It says the terminations are "based on your performance."
The American Federation of Government employees represents about 160 DoE workers that are considered probationary.
It's not known how many employees there, or at the Small Business Administration, received the letter.
The firings come hours after a federal judge earlier last Wednesday allowed the Trump administration's deferred resignation program to proceed.
About 75,000 employees have accepted the offer to quit now and get paid through September.
