Data error causes already RIF’d State Department workers to get furlough info

Former State Department employees whose roles were eliminated as part of a reduction-in-force still received information about whether they would be needed during the government shutdown — including some workers who were told their positions were “excepted.”

While the full extent of the issue wasn’t immediately clear, three such employees shared those notifications with FedScoop on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. Others were also aware of the problem even if they didn’t receive the messages themselves. 

In response to a FedScoop request for comment, a State spokesperson indicated the department was aware of the issue and had taken steps to address it. “As we worked to notify employees of their status ahead of this Democrat-led shutdown, there were minor” discrepancies with data, the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “We immediately worked to resolve any outstanding issues.” 

The Trump administration and Republicans have blamed Democrats for the lapse in appropriations that began Wednesday, including on government websites and notifications to employees viewed by FedScoop. But Democrats say the spending bill from Republicans, who control all levers of government, didn’t get their backing because it didn’t adequately fund health care — particularly tax credits that bring down the cost of care for individuals under the Affordable Care Act.

Of the three State Department notices reviewed by FedScoop, one informed the RIF’d employee that their position was “excepted” and explained that those roles are defined as those needed for emergencies that threaten life and property or are essential for national security. It then ordered that worker to “report to work on your next regularly scheduled workday.”

The other two already RIF’d employees were told that they would be furloughed during the shutdown but that it was “in no way a value judgement on the work you do for the Department.” Those employees were also instructed to review their department emails for updates despite not being able to access that information. 

Of the three RIF’d employees, only one — a foreign service officer — is still on the department’s payroll.

According to the State Department’s contingency plan for the shutdown, it has an automated furlough notification tool through an internal administrative platform called the Global Employment Management System. Before a lapse in appropriations, executive directors are responsible for determining which positions are excepted or non-excepted and updating that on the platform. The automated tool is intended to eliminate the need to print out letters for each impacted worker.

The issue illustrates some of the administrative chaos that has already resulted from the large-scale RIFs at many federal agencies under President Donald Trump. 

The Food and Drug Administration, for example, exposed its employees’ sensitive information when some employees received documents meant for their colleagues in mailed RIF packets. State Department workers also previously told FedScoop they were caught off guard by the extent of the RIFs, resulting in confusion and work off-boarded to functions that were also cut. 

Amid the shutdown, the Trump administration is threatening further workforce cuts. Last week, the Office of Management and Budget sent a message to agency leaders telling them to consider staff reductions in the case of an appropriations lapse. On Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that those cuts are expected to be “in the thousands,” per a video of that gaggle posted by PBS.

Also on Thursday, Trump posted to his social media site that he was meeting with OMB Director Russell Vought “to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.”