(NewsNation) — The Trump administration has begun firing federal employees who are in their probationary period or first two years on the job.
Office of Personnel Management officials met with agency leaders Thursday and directed them to start firing probationary employees. Workers with that status have weaker workplace protections that make it easier for their removal.
This affects more than 200,000 federal workers in the country.
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The firings come as the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, is starting to ramp up its efforts to reduce government spending.
Here are the agencies where reported firings have occurred:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
In the department’s Forest Service, 2,400 employees have been fired.
Department of Education
The Department of Education, which President Donald Trump said he wants to abolish, has fired 60 members of its bargaining unit.
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA fired 388 probationary employees following the OPM directive. According to The Hill, agency head and former New York Representative Lee Zeldin said the firings came “after a thorough review of agency functions in accordance with President Trump’s executive orders.”
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General Services Administration
The GSA has reportedly terminated at least 100 of its probationary employees.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
DHS has fired 400 employees throughout the department.
Interior Department
The Interior Department has fired 2,300 employees. The department oversees national parks, tribal affairs, endangered species and conservation of and energy production on federally owned lands and in federal waters.
Transportation Department
Between 200 and 300 FAA employees have been terminated since the directive was issued.
Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs has fired more than 1,000 new employees.
The VA said in a statement that the dismissals will save the department more than $98 million a year, and those funds will be redirected to health care, benefits and services for its beneficiaries.
