Court order reinstates NOAA workers as Trump officials halt federal workforce cuts

• The U.S. Commerce Department reinstated employees after a Maryland federal judge blocked the termination of thousands of federal workers. This marked the second time a judge prevented agencies from cutting staff.
• The National Weather Service faced staffing shortages, leading to the temporary suspension of critical weather balloon launches in some states.
• The budget cuts raised concerns about the potential impact on public safety, especially in weather forecasting. 

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After less than a month, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) employees are back on the job. The U.S. Commerce Department informed a Maryland federal court on Monday, March 17 it reinstated 791 employees, including at NOAA, after a U.S. district judge blocked the termination of at least 24,000 federal workers on Thursday, March 13.

The decision marked the second time a judge issued a temporary restraining order to prevent numerous government agencies from terminating their workers.

Hundreds of NOAA employees laid off in February

In February, hundreds of NOAA employees, many in their first and second years, were laid off. NOAA was also tasked with identifying more than 1,000 additional roles that could be eliminated.

However, a court ruling forced the Trump administration to pause its efforts to reduce the federal workforce. The Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Government Efficiency spearheaded the effort to cut federal jobs. 

While NOAA workers have been reinstated, they remain on administrative leave, similar to other employees laid off from different federal agencies. According to Axios, fired NOAA employees received letters stating that their long-term employment status will be determined once the court cases are resolved.

Layoffs ahead of severe weather

Straight Arrow News reported that the NOAA layoffs occurred before a severe weather system swept across the country. From the Midwest to the South, the system brought tornadoes, hail and high winds, claiming the lives of at least 40 people. Many of the affected employees played key roles in providing weather information to local National Weather Service forecast offices. The NWS issues critical weather alerts, including warnings for hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes and snowstorms. 

Scientists and former employees expressed concern about the budget cuts and the impact on timely weather reports that can be key to public safety.

Despite heightened concerns, NOAA’s public relations office told Straight Arrow News, “NOAA remains dedicated to its mission of providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation’s environmental and economic resilience. We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission.” 

When asked about how the cuts would impact the agency, NOAA said, “Our long-standing practice is not to discuss internal personnel and management matters.”

The staffing cuts led to shortages within the NWS. The agency announced they were temporarily suspending weather balloon launches in New York, Maine and Alaska. These launches, performed to measure temperature, humidity and winds, are used for weather forecasting, according to NOAA.