NSF Illegally Reclassifies Employees as Probationary, Fires 170 in DOGE-Led Purge
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DOGE v. Science & Research
🔴 UPDATE: February 23, 2025
NSF Reclassifies Hundreds of Employees as Probationary, Leading to Mass Firings
In a legally dubious move, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has reclassified hundreds of permanent employees as probationary, allowing for their termination without due process. The decision, allegedly driven by directives from Elon Musk’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under DOGE, resulted in the firing of at least 170 employees—nearly 10% of the NSF’s workforce—in what lawmakers are calling a direct attack on scientific research and federal labor protections.
🚨 Key Developments:
170 NSF Employees Fired Without Notice – On February 18, 2025, 170 NSF employees were abruptly terminated, including 86 reclassified as probationary and 84 serving as short-term experts. Many received no prior notice of their reclassification, with some only discovering the change after they were fired.
Reclassification Process May Be Illegal – Reports indicate that employees’ status was changed retroactively, with forms placed in personnel files without their knowledge. Legal experts suggest this violates federal labor contracts and potentially constitutional due process rights.
Congressional Scrutiny Begins – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) has called for an immediate reversal of the firings, arguing that the move jeopardizes vital scientific research. In a letter to NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, Beyer demanded an explanation and warned of potential legal challenges.
Research and Grant Processing at Risk – The NSF, which oversees billions in federal research funding, manages 40,000 proposals annually and funds roughly 11,000 projects. The sudden workforce reduction threatens delays in grant approvals, potentially derailing critical scientific research.
🔍 Consequences:
Chilling Effect on Scientific Institutions – This move signals that no federal scientific agency is safe, raising fears that NASA, NOAA, and NIH could face similar politically motivated purges.
Disrupting Federal Science Policy – With fewer experts overseeing grants, entire fields of research—including climate science, artificial intelligence, and medical innovation—could suffer severe funding disruptions.
Legal and Congressional Challenges Incoming – If the NSF’s reclassification is found to be illegal, this could set up a major legal battle over federal employee protections, potentially impacting other agencies targeted by DOGE.
📌 Sources:
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