NASA Secures Deal to Prevent Mass Layoffs: Job Cuts Will Be Performance-Based or Voluntary

NASA recently announced that it may avoid major layoffs that were anticipated this week. This decision could protect hundreds of new and experienced employees at the agency.

The agency collaborated with the Office of Personnel Management to evaluate its workforce needs, particularly as downsizing efforts have been a priority for the Trump administration. NASA’s review concluded that any cuts among newer employees—those on probation—will be based on performance or voluntary participation.

This approach is quite different from other federal agencies that mandated layoffs for all probationary workers.

NASA stated it will continue to assess employee performance and act quickly to address any issues. This should ensure that the agency maintains a skilled and effective workforce.

Around 5% of NASA’s employees accepted offers to resign under a program that incentivizes employees to leave in exchange for receiving pay through September. This includes a small number of probationary workers. With nearly 18,000 employees, this means about 900 people opted for this offer.

A NASA staff member, wishing to remain anonymous, raised concerns about how departing employees might affect patents and other intellectual property issues during their paid leave. The legal implications in these cases remain uncertain.

There are around 1,300 probationary employees at NASA. News of possible layoffs triggered anxiety within the space community.

Casey Dreier, who leads space policy at the Planetary Society, expressed alarm over the potential loss of many scientists and engineers, calling it an unprecedented action since the Apollo program era. During that time, NASA was downsizing as the moon program was concluding.

The Artemis program is NASA’s next big mission, aiming to land astronauts on the moon by 2027. Unlike the Apollo era, the current strategy involves outsourcing much of the work to private companies.

While Dreier acknowledged that workforce reductions might help NASA operate more efficiently, he voiced concerns about the non-strategic nature of these possible layoffs. He worries that a reckless reduction in staff could hinder NASA’s future plans.

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