Hundreds of NOAA employees laid off as part of federal workforce downsizing

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Hundreds of NOAA employees are being laid off as part of President Trump’s initiative to downsize the federal workforce.
Nearly 900 staff members, about 5% of NOAA’s workforce, are affected, and probationary employees were also impacted.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration asked agencies to prepare plans for layoffs and restructuring by March 13.

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Hundreds of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees are receiving pink slips, according to multiple news agencies. This is part of President Trump’s and the Department of Government Efficiency’s promise to downsize the federal workforce.

NOAA is a federal agency focusing on climate, weather, oceans, and coastal resources. It provides weather warnings and forecasts and observes changes in the atmosphere, ocean and land, among other responsibilities.

Nearly 900 NOAA employees are being laid off, which is about 5% of the agency’s staff, according to an inside source who spoke to CBS News. One source also said no National Weather Service meteorologists were affected, and another said some were included in the cuts.

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A source inside the National Weather Service said probationary employees—those who have been in their roles for a year or less—were let go Thursday.

There are between 350 and 375 National Weather Service employees with probationary status, but it’s unclear how many were impacted, CNN reports.

Some of those staffers received an email that stated: “OPM has advised that ‘[P]robationary periods are an essential tool for agencies to assess employee performance and manage staffing levels.’ In light of that guidance, the agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge, and/or skills do not fit the agency’s current needs.”

Earlier this week, the Trump administration told federal agencies to prepare for large-scale layoffs and restructuring. In a memo, Trump administration officials told department heads to submit plans by March 13 on consolidating their agencies.

Tags: DOGE, Donald Trump, Layoffs, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, NOAA

HUNDREDS OF NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING A PINK SLIP, ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE NEWS AGENCIES.

IT’S A PART OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY’S PROMISE TO DOWNSIZE THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE.

NOAA IS A FEDERAL AGENCY THAT FOCUSES ON CLIMATE, WEATHER, OCEANS, AND COASTAL RESOURCES. IT PROVIDES WEATHER WARNINGS AND FORECASTS AND OBSERVES CHANGES IN THE ATMOSPHERE, OCEAN, AND LAND, AMONG OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.

NEARLY 900 NOAA EMPLOYEES ARE BEING LAID OFF, EQUAL TO ABOUT 5% OF THE AGENCY’S STAFF, ACCORDING TO AN INSIDE SOURCE WHO SPOKE TO CBS NEWS.

ONE SOURCE ALSO SAID NO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE AFFECTED WHILE ANOTHER SAYS SOME WERE INCLUDED IN THE CUTS.

SOMEONE INSIDE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAID PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES – THOSE WHO’VE BEEN IN THEIR ROLES FOR A YEAR OR LESS – WERE LET GO THURSDAY.

THERE ARE BETWEEN 350 AND 375 NATIONAL WEATHER EMPLOYEEES WITH THAT STATUS BUT IT’S UNCLEAR HOW MANY WERE IMPACTED, CNN REPORTS.

SOME OF THOSE STAFFERS RECEIVED AN EMAIL THAT STATED: “OPM HAS ADVISED THAT ‘[P]ROBATIONARY PERIODS ARE AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR AGENCIES TO ASSESS EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AND MANAGE STAFFING LEVELS.’ (4) IN LIGHT OF THAT GUIDANCE, THE AGENCY FINDS THAT YOU ARE NOT FIT FOR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE YOUR ABILITY, KNOWLEDGE AND/OR SKILLS DO NOT FIT THE AGENCY’S CURRENT NEEDS.”

EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TOLD FEDERAL AGENCIES TO PREPARE FOR LARGE-SCALE LAYOFFS AND RESTRUCTURING. IN A MEMO, TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS TOLD DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS TO SUBMIT PLANS BY MARCH 13TH ON HOW TO CONSOLIDATE THEIR AGENCIES.