Following President Donald Trump's executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the federal government, dozens of employees at the U.S. Education Department have been placed on paid administrative leave. The move was confirmed by the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, which represents hundreds of workers in the agency.
It remains unclear how many employees were put on leave or the specific reasons for their placement, according to the union president, Sheria Smith. The affected employees come from various branches of the agency, ranging from offices that allocate funds to K-12 schools to units responsible for enforcing civil rights laws.
The decision is part of the Department of Government Efficiency's efforts to streamline programs and reduce the federal workforce, impacting departments such as the U.S. Agency for International Development.
At least 55 Education Department workers received notifications via email informing them of their immediate placement on paid leave in accordance with Trump's order. The email stated that the action was not disciplinary in nature.
Employees on leave have had their government email access revoked and have been instructed not to report to the office. This directive affects a diverse group of staff members and managers within the department, which employs over 4,000 individuals in Washington and regional offices nationwide.
Many of the employees placed on leave had participated in the Diversity Change Agent program, a training initiative promoted by the agency for several years. While the program was encouraged or perceived as mandatory by many, the sudden administrative leave has raised concerns about fairness and consistency.
Some current employees fear that the disruption caused by the mass leave could impact critical functions of the agency, such as managing federal student loans and processing student financial aid applications.
Trump's executive order targets DEI staff across the federal government, with the ultimate goal of placing them on paid leave and potentially laying them off. The order is part of a broader effort to dismantle diversity programs that the president has labeled as discriminatory.
During his campaign, Trump vowed to dismantle the Education Department, citing concerns about ideological infiltration. He advocated for transferring the agency's authority to states and schools.
