'Your position is being abolished': Education Department staff get official reduction-in-force notices
Over 1,300 federal employees impacted by the Department of Education's March 11 reduction in force received their official separation notices Thursday, according to copies reviewed by ABC News.
"It is with great regret that I must inform you that your position is being abolished and you have been reached for reduction in force (RIF) action," the notices read, in part.
The RIF was one of the first major steps in massively reducing the Education Department after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to close the agency on March 20.
Both Trump and McMahon have suggested they will continue reducing the size of the agency and return education power and decisions to the states.
The president has said that the RIF'd employees either weren't showing up to work or they weren't good at their jobs. But the notices explained that the separation is not based on performance evaluations -- it is due to the "reduction in the number of positions" at the agency. The notices also said that employees have the right to appeal this reduction.
In addition, laying off people without going through the civil service protections is "illegal," according to NAACP Chief of Policy and Legislative Affairs Patrice Willoughby.
"What they're doing is illegal," Willoughby told ABC News. "They know it's illegal. It creates damage to people. They're damaging not only what they say is the deep state — really dedicated federal workers who are working professionally on behalf of education families and young people but they're also damaging these families and these kids in these communities, many of them who voted for this administration and the constituents of these senators and representatives, who are saying nothing about it."
The letter sent on Thursday is a required 60-day notice alerting federal employees of their final days, according to a source familiar with the matter. Until those 60 days are up, the affected employees are on paid administrative leave. On June 10, they will no longer be employed.
"ED appreciates the service you have rendered," the notice said, adding, "We deeply regret that this decision affects you, and we recognize the difficulty of the moment."
Last month the department announced that about half of its 4,000-plus employees were eliminated either through its reduction, voluntary separations or retirements. Dozens more probationary employees were let go -- and then rehired after a court order overturned the administration's terminations.
Chief Human Capital Officer Jacqueline Clay sent the official email, with the subject line of Notice of Separation Due To Reduction In Force, between 3 and 4 p.m. ET along with associated documents, including information on employee benefits and severance pay.
The notices were sent in accordance with an executive order titled Implementing The President's "Department of Government Efficiency" Workforce Optimization Initiative, according to the copies reviewed by ABC News.
Over the past month, the impacted civil servants have cleaned out their offices – if they worked in person – and are no longer allowed in the Education Department's buildings. They have no work responsibilities, and they do not have access to emails or systems and servers.
Civil servants who shared the notices with ABC News said the letters make the reduction feel "more real."
"It is sad for us but also the students who undoubtedly will be harmed by this," one employee who received the notice told ABC News.
Another department employee whose entire office was eliminated said that they feel numb.
"We knew it was coming but still unbelievable," they said, adding, "No explanations of why offices were abolished. My office was congressionally mandated and statutorily required. There are no answers."
