The Defense Department has hit pause on its plan to fire many civilian probationary workers. This decision comes as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon’s legal team need more time to review how these firings might affect U.S. military readiness.
Reports indicated that over 50,000 employees could be impacted. Concerns arose that these firings might clash with Title 10, section 129a of the U.S. Code. After this news surfaced, Pentagon lawyers began examining the legality of the mass terminations.
According to the law, the Secretary of Defense must analyze how reducing the workforce could affect military effectiveness and preparedness. It specifically prioritizes military readiness over cost-saving measures.
A senior defense official mentioned that this necessary analysis hadn’t been done before commands were issued to prepare lists of employees to let go.
Secretary Hegseth’s office chose not to comment on the situation.
This week has seen defense officials working intensely, including late nights, to identify which workers are crucial and should be exempt from layoffs. Key roles in areas like cybersecurity and intelligence are being prioritized to ensure ongoing mission support.
Hegseth stated in a recent video that the focus would be on removing lower-performing employees first. However, officials at the Office of Personnel Management argue more broadly that the probationary employees do not contribute positively to the overall performance of the Pentagon, suggesting they are no longer necessary.
