The U.S. Department of Education is paying more than $7 million each month to employees who have been put on leave. This is according to the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the union that represents workers in the department.
This situation has been ongoing since the department laid off around 1,300 workers in March, after cutting nearly half of its staff. The layoffs were part of a larger plan by President Donald Trump’s administration to reduce government spending by cutting down on federal employees. Other government agencies have faced similar cuts.
What’s Happening to the Employees?
When these layoffs happened, the workers were initially told they would continue to be paid until June 9, their last working day. However, after a May federal court ruling blocked the White House’s attempt to shut down the agency, those workers were reinstated and placed on administrative leave. This means they are still technically employed but cannot work, as the lawsuits over the cuts continue.
Now, the department must continue paying salaries to these employees, even though they’re not doing any work. The total cost is more than $7 million per month, and this doesn’t include additional benefits or the salaries of managers.
How Is This Being Justified?
Education Secretary Linda McMahon had originally argued that the layoffs were part of a plan to make the Department of Education more efficient. She said the goal was to focus resources on helping students, parents, and teachers.
However, critics argue that the cuts have only led to wasteful spending, with employees still being paid without doing any work.
How Do Employees Feel About This Situation?
Many of the employees affected by these cuts feel embarrassed to still receive pay without working. For example, Ariel Shepetovskiy, a lawyer with the Department of Education, was terminated in March. She lost access to the tools needed to do her job but is still receiving pay while on administrative leave. She says it feels “like garbage” to be paid for doing nothing, and she feels like a “parasite” on the American taxpayers.
Other employees, like Robert Jason Cottrell, a data coordinator, feel similarly frustrated. He believes he could be helping the education system but is instead stuck in a position where he can’t contribute.
What Are the Plans for the Future?
The Department of Education has told these workers that it is trying to figure out how to reintegrate them into their jobs, though many of them remain uncertain about when they will actually return to work. The department is working on updates to things like security access and technology to make sure employees can get back to their duties when the time comes.
What About the Lawsuits and Settlements?
As lawsuits over the layoffs continue, some workers are being offered settlements in exchange for leaving their jobs voluntarily. These offers would pay employees through September if they agree to quit and drop any pending legal cases. Some workers have described these offers as pressure tactics to make them leave without the chance to return to their positions.
Sheria Smith, president of AFGE Local 252 in Dallas, believes these settlement offers are an attempt to intimidate employees into quitting. Despite the pressure, many workers are holding on, hoping that they will eventually be brought back to work.
