Thousands of IRS employees were recently laid off, impacting President Biden’s expansion of hires focused on tax enforcement for wealthy individuals. The layoffs affected many probationary federal government employees, including individuals who had received excellent performance reviews and awards. Some employees expressed feeling devastated by the termination letters citing poor performance, despite evidence of their positive contributions to their workplaces. Some recipients fear the impact on their future job prospects, both in government and the private sector, due to the inaccurate performance evaluations stated in the letters.
Hampton Dellinger, who leads a federal whistleblower protection entity, stated that the mass firings of probationary federal employees may be illegal, as the termination letters failed to provide specific reasons for each employee’s dismissal. The Merit Systems Protection Board reinstated six fired employees in various federal agencies to allow further investigation into the terminations. The White House cited the goal of eliminating wasteful spending and enhancing agency efficiency as the reason for removing probationary employees who are not deemed mission-critical.
Individuals affected by the layoffs, such as Tony Ruiz, Megan Ruxton, Robyn Smyth, and Allie Mitchell, expressed a range of emotions including shock, disappointment, and hope for the future. Many felt unjustly labeled as underperforming despite evidence to the contrary. These employees, who had dedicated themselves to their roles in areas such as Veteran Services, public health, environmental biology, and Alzheimer’s disease research, now face uncertainty about their next steps in their careers.
