Author: Brian Osgood
Published on: 12/03/2025 | 00:00:00
AI Summary:
On February 16, Marya Washburn received an email stating that she was being fired from the United States Forest Service. She was among the 3,400 probationary employees the Forest Service laid off. It was a dramatic cut, representing nearly 10 percent of the agency’s 35,000 employees. Many of Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal government have been challenged in court. Some federal employees have filed complaints directly with the Merit Systems Protection Board. On Wednesday, one of the board’s decisions comes into effect, forcing the US Department of Agriculture to temporarily reinstate many of its fired probationary workers. A wildland firefighter is unsure if she will be able to keep her job. She was classified as a probationary worker after she accepted a job at a different federal agency to be closer to a family member experiencing health issues. “If this is taken away from me for no reason, I’ll have nothing,” she said. A pay increase for federal wildland firefighters was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, boosting wages by up to $20,000 per year. But the change was temporary and has been subject to congressional renewal, creating uncertainty that it could eventually expire. Congress has yet to make the wage increase permanent. Oliver Simic, a former wildland firefighter, is now pursuing a graduate degree. “I’m not sure what the breaking point is. But I’d have to say we’re approaching it,” says Simic.
Original: 1277 words
Summary: 236 words
Percent reduction: 81.52%