After weeks of speculation, the Department of Education is the latest federal agency to announce massive layoffs.
The department announced Tuesday evening nearly half of its employees will be placed on leave starting next week as part of a reduction in force.
Thousands of department employees received emails notifying them that they were losing their jobs. According to the announcement, those impacted employees will be placed on administrative leave starting March 21.
“This is not okay, this is not normal, due process is not being observed, the law is not being respected and it’s very sad to believe that this is the US of A,” one employee told News4.
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The employees News4 spoke to asked that their names or faces not be used, but their frustration was undeniable.
“There's a lot of uncertainty, there’s a lot of fear, there’s a lot of chaos,” the employee said.
Hours before the announcement, a memo citing unspecified security issues announced offices would be closing at 6 p.m. and remain closed until Thursday. Some employees were seen leaving with their belongings just in case.
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“I don’t know what to expect anymore,” the employee said.
Minutes after News4 cameras caught security guards locking the front doors, the official announcement came.
“Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. "I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system.”
“Like children, I understand what it’s like to go through a reduction in force,” a second employee said. “There are OPM rules and regulations to follow, it is something that if that is what the new administration wants to do, we are happy to implement those, but we need to do it in a lawful, purposeful manner.”
According to the department, before President Donald Trump's inauguration, its workforce stood at just over 4,100 employees. After the reduction in force, it's expected to be about 2,200. Officials say about 600 resigned or retired in the last seven weeks.
The department says, due to collective bargaining agreements, laid-off workers will get full pay and benefits until June 9 along with severance based on time served.
“I’m sad and furious and betrayed…” the first employee said. “We offer a valuable service to this country and instead we are being treated like the villains.”
Democrats criticized the layoffs.
Sen. Tim Kaine, of Virginia, said the move “will hurt every student across the country.”
“It will lead to longer processing times for students’ financial aid, additional problems disbursing funding for K-12 schools, and reduced oversight of programs for students with disabilities and laws regarding sexual assault on college campuses,” he said in a statement.
"Dismantling the Department of Education puts our nation's children at an immense disadvantage,” Rep. Steny Hoyer, of Maryland, said. “Neither the Constitution nor the law leave any doubt: the president cannot abolish a department created by Congress or withhold appropriated funds.”
Correction (Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 6 a.m.): The Department of Education said offices will be closed Wednesday and reopen Thursday. An earlier version of this article said offices would stay closed through Thursday. This story has been updated.
