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Compliance March 10, 2025
Fired Probationary Workers Reinstated at EBSA
The probationary employees and head of the Department of Labor’s Division of Employee Ownership, who were recently terminated, reportedly received notices that their positions will be reinstated.
Reported by Remy Samuels
Previously terminated probationary employees at the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration received noticed of reinstatement as of today, March 10, according to Lisa Gomez, the most recent EBSA head and former assistant secretary of labor under President Joe Biden.
Gomez said the reinstatement includes the head of the Division of Employee Ownership, Hillary Abel, who had been terminated as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to drastically downsize the federal government.
Ali Khawar, the former deputy assistant secretary of labor for EBSA, also confirmed that he has heard from at least four probationary employees that they received notices of reinstatement,
Similar news has come out in other areas of the federal government. A federal civil service board ruled Wednesday that the firings of more than 5,000 probationary employees in the Department of Agriculture may have been unlawful, and the workers should be reinstated for at least the next 45 days. The Merit Systems Protection Board issued this ruling at the request of the Office of Special Counsel.
It is unknown how many probationary employees at EBSA were terminated and received notices of reinstatement. Gomez said she has not heard of any limitations or conditions put on the probationary employees’ reinstatement.
The Department of Labor did not respond to a request for comment.
All federal agencies are still required to submit their reduction-in-force plans to the Office of Personnel Management by March 13, according to reports. This could include eliminating organizations and certain positions.
The federal government is also set to shut down this weekend unless Congress reaches a funding agreement before the current short-term federal spending measure expires on March 14.