More than a dozen federal agencies have reinstated thousands of fired employees, but many are now stuck on administrative leave with uncertain futures.
In February, the Trump administration carried out a massive purge of thousands of probationary federal workers. Now, as some workers wait for their jobs to be reinstated, they’re facing another layer of uncertainty – being placed on administrative leave while their employers figure out how to rehire them.
Erin Cagney, an archaeologist at the National Park Service, was among those let go in February. She was rehired last week but is now stuck in limbo, unsure when she’ll return to work.
“I desperately want to return to my job,” Cagney said. “I don’t want to be on administrative leave, in limbo, for some unknown duration of time.”
Cagney isn’t alone. Over 18 federal agencies have reinstated thousands of employees and placed them on administrative leave, according to court filings. The uncertainty is causing widespread confusion among workers who are trying to figure out when they’ll get their jobs back.
The government has struggled to comply with court orders requiring the rehiring of probationary workers. Many agencies are facing significant challenges in restoring fired employees to “full duty status,” including filling out paperwork, issuing new security badges, and restoring security clearances.
Judge William Alsup has taken issue with this approach, signaling potential further action on the issue. The government argues that administrative leave is just one stage in the process of returning probationary employees to their jobs, but the timeline for next steps remains unclear.
As the Trump administration’s plan to drastically reduce and remake the federal bureaucracy continues to unfold, fired workers are facing an uncertain future. With multiple changes in employment status possible in a matter of weeks, many workers are left wondering what’s next for them.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/us/politics/fired-federal-workers-reinstated-place-administrative-leave.html