The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has issued detailed guidelines for employees who have been terminated or placed on administrative leave to retrieve their personal belongings from the Ronald Reagan Building. Employees have been allocated two days, Thursday, Feb. 27, and Friday, Feb. 28, to access the building during designated time slots to collect their items.
During the allotted time slots, which range from 60 to 90 minutes, employees will have approximately 15 minutes to gather their personal belongings from their workspaces. It is crucial for staff with a significant number of items to be mindful of time constraints, although flexibility may be granted in certain cases with approval from the Office of Security.
Employees are required to bring their own containers and packing supplies for the retrieval process. Before leaving the building, staff must acknowledge receipt of their belongings to absolve the agency of any liability for items left behind. Additionally, employees must confirm that they are not in possession of any physical or electronic government records.
USAID emphasized that Thursday and Friday are the only days designated for retrieval, and employees must adhere to their assigned time slots based on their bureau. If an employee is unable to attend, only a designated alternate staff member with proper credentials may retrieve belongings.
For items left unclaimed, the General Services Administration will pack them and store them in a warehouse for future collection. Employees are also required to return all government-furnished equipment during the retrieval process.
The recent reduction-in-force action by the Trump administration placed nearly 1,600 USAID employees on administrative leave globally, excluding those involved in critical functions, core leadership, or specific programs. This decision followed the termination of thousands of employees, leaving only around 300 staff members at the agency.
The downsizing was initiated after a review by the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, revealed that USAID had allocated funds to questionable programs worldwide. Examples include $20 million for a Sesame Street show in Iraq, $900,000 to a Gaza-based charity, and $1.5 million for diversity initiatives in Serbia.
