The Education Department terminated a swath of its civil service workforce on Wednesday, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.
The precise number of affected employees was not immediately clear. Firing notices were distributed to workers in the department’s offices for civil rights, federal student aid and communications, as well as its legal department, according to people who relayed details and documents that substantiated the terminations to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters.
Many of the terminations appeared to be targeted at department civil servants who were still probationary employees, people familiar with the matter said, though some non-probationary employees were also affected.
“The department does not comment on personnel matters,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement.
Notices sent to probationary employees noted their right to an appeal if they believed the action was taken due to partisan political reasons or marital status, according to documents reviewed by POLITICO.
