Latest news with #AFSA
CBS News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
State Dept. layoffs could start as soon as Friday, as Supreme Court decision looms
The State Department may begin laying off hundreds of Washington, D.C.,-based employees as soon as this Friday, according to internal correspondence among staff that was shared with CBS News, amid an effort by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to streamline what he has called a "bloated" bureaucracy. The precise timing of the cuts could be affected by a looming decision by the Supreme Court which could soon hand down a ruling on whether to leave in place a lower court's order that temporarily paused government-wide layoffs. The Justice Department asked the high court earlier this month to lift the district court's injunction and allow it to move forward with the administration's plans for reductions in force, or layoffs. In a statement issued Wednesday, the president of the American Foreign Service Association, which represents American foreign service officers, said the association "urgently calls on the Department of State to comply with a federal court order that prohibits federal agencies from executing mass layoffs while litigation is ongoing." "Sources inside the department tell us that layoffs will be announced as soon as the end of this week or early next week," AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi said. "Unless the Supreme Court intervenes, the department is legally barred from taking any action outlined in its reorganization plans." But a senior State Department official told CBS News, "AFSA's statement is false, and the Department has no plans to violate a court order." Multiple sources shared internal correspondence between State Department staffers that described the potential impending cuts. Some sent screen shots of what employees had been told by the department. Some of the internal notes circulated within State Department ranks said that the notices of reduction in force — or RIF — could impact over 2,000 staffers, including 700 D.C.-based foreign service officers, and could begin Friday, likely in the morning. The same internal notes said large conference rooms inside the department's Washington headquarters have been reserved for Friday morning "with no reason given," but with the expectation that they would be used to process the terminated staffers. A notice circulated Wednesday in the department's Bureau of Overseas Building Operations — which manages the department's overseas diplomatic property — contained instructions on how to process terminated employees. The email, which was reviewed by CBS News, has a checklist — one item directed departing employees to turn in their badges and IT equipment issued by the State Department. The State Department aims to reduce its domestic workforce by up to 3,448 personnel — according to a more than 130-page notification it had submitted to Congress last month that affected around 18% of its existing staff. The notification included a deadline of July 1, 2025, for the reductions. Rubio first announced in April that the department, which he described as "bloated" and "bureaucratic," would undergo "comprehensive reorganization." An AFSA official also noted that the department had made unilateral changes to the Foreign Affairs Manual — which the State Department describes as the "single, comprehensive, and authoritative source for the Department's organization structures, policies, and procedures" — without the association's agreement. "While the Secretary of State holds legal authority to implement RIFs, long-standing procedures were based on a transparent, merit-based process that ranked employees globally. The department's recent changes bypass these norms, penalizing employees based solely on their current domestic assignments," the AFSA statement reads. and contributed to this report.
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
American Foreign Service Association urges State Dept to halt planned layoffs amid litigation
WASHINGTON, June 25 (Reuters) - The American Foreign Service Association urged the State Department on Wednesday to not go ahead with a planned overhaul that likely would see around 2,000 layoffs of personnel, saying it should abide by a federal court that prohibits federal agencies from implementing mass firings. The department has prepared to start sending hundreds of reduction-in-force notices to its domestic workforce as early as Friday, sources familiar with the plan said, but a final decision on the timing is yet to be taken. Ongoing litigation may well delay that timeline. At the same time, the U.S. Supreme Court can weigh in anytime on the administration's bid to halt the judicial order blocking mass job cuts. "Sources inside the department tell us that layoffs will be announced as soon as the end of this week or early next week,' AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi said in a statement. "Unless the Supreme Court intervenes, the department is legally barred from taking any action outlined in its reorganization plans," Yazdgerdi said. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In late May, the administration notified Congress of a major plan to overhaul its diplomatic corps that will cut thousands of jobs including hundreds of members of its elite U.S. Foreign Service who advocate for U.S. interests in the face of growing assertiveness from adversaries such as China and Russia. The reorganization was set to be largely concluded by July 1, officials said at the time. Initial plans to send the notices earlier this month were put on hold after a federal judge in California on June 13 temporarily blocked the U.S. State Department from implementing the reorganization plan. U.S. Department of Justice lawyer Alexander Resar said that the State Department would not issue layoff notices that were scheduled to go out on June 14. The shake-up comes as part of an unprecedented push by President Donald Trump to shrink the federal bureaucracy, cut what he says is wasteful spending of American taxpayer money and align what remains with his "America First" priorities. According to the plan shared with Congress in late May, the Department is expected to cut U.S.-based civil service and foreign service officers from the domestic workforce by 3,448 people, out of 18,780 people employed as of May 4. More than 300 of the department's 734 bureaus and offices will be streamlined, merged or eliminated. More than 2,000 employees will be subject to job cuts while more than 1,500 will be subject to deferred resignations. It was not immediately clear how many of them would be foreign service versus civil service. Around 700 of those could be foreign service officers, one source said. AFSA, established in 1924, has close to 16,800 members that include active-duty and retired staff of the Foreign Service at the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and U.S. Agency for Global Media.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
American Foreign Service Association urges State Dept to halt planned layoffs amid litigation
By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The American Foreign Service Association urged the State Department on Wednesday to not go ahead with a planned overhaul that likely would see around 2,000 layoffs of personnel, saying it should abide by a federal court that prohibits federal agencies from implementing mass firings. The department has prepared to start sending hundreds of reduction-in-force notices to its domestic workforce as early as Friday, sources familiar with the plan said, but a final decision on the timing is yet to be taken. Ongoing litigation may well delay that timeline. At the same time, the U.S. Supreme Court can weigh in anytime on the administration's bid to halt the judicial order blocking mass job cuts. "Sources inside the department tell us that layoffs will be announced as soon as the end of this week or early next week,' AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi said in a statement. "Unless the Supreme Court intervenes, the department is legally barred from taking any action outlined in its reorganization plans," Yazdgerdi said. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In late May, the administration notified Congress of a major plan to overhaul its diplomatic corps that will cut thousands of jobs including hundreds of members of its elite U.S. Foreign Service who advocate for U.S. interests in the face of growing assertiveness from adversaries such as China and Russia. The reorganization was set to be largely concluded by July 1, officials said at the time. Initial plans to send the notices earlier this month were put on hold after a federal judge in California on June 13 temporarily blocked the U.S. State Department from implementing the reorganization plan. U.S. Department of Justice lawyer Alexander Resar said that the State Department would not issue layoff notices that were scheduled to go out on June 14. The shake-up comes as part of an unprecedented push by President Donald Trump to shrink the federal bureaucracy, cut what he says is wasteful spending of American taxpayer money and align what remains with his "America First" priorities. According to the plan shared with Congress in late May, the Department is expected to cut U.S.-based civil service and foreign service officers from the domestic workforce by 3,448 people, out of 18,780 people employed as of May 4. More than 300 of the department's 734 bureaus and offices will be streamlined, merged or eliminated. More than 2,000 employees will be subject to job cuts while more than 1,500 will be subject to deferred resignations. It was not immediately clear how many of them would be foreign service versus civil service. Around 700 of those could be foreign service officers, one source said. AFSA, established in 1924, has close to 16,800 members that include active-duty and retired staff of the Foreign Service at the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and U.S. Agency for Global Media.
The Citizen
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Spectrum Technical hosts successful 2025 Aluminium Technology Seminar
Local metallurgical solutions provider Spectrum Technical recently hosted its third Aluminium Technology Seminar, drawing participation from across the South African aluminium sector. The two-day event, held at the Indaba Lodge in Richards Bay, showcased global advancements in casthouse operations, aluminium processing and sustainability trends. 'We've built a reputation for not only providing leading equipment and technology but also creating platforms where industry professionals can share knowledge and ideas,' said Kumaran Poonan, Director of Spectrum Technical's metals division. 'Following the success of our previous seminars in 2013 and 2017, the 2025 edition was designed to reflect the evolving needs of the aluminium industry, especially around digitalisation and responsible production.' This year's seminar saw over 80 delegates in attendance, representing smelters, extrusion plants, rolling mills, and service providers from across South Africa. Technology companies from Canada, Sweden, France and Italy delivered technical presentations. Delegates included process engineers, metallurgists, plant managers, maintenance and operations teams involved in both primary and secondary aluminium production. The keynote address was delivered by Muzi Manzi, CEO of the Aluminium Federation of South Africa (AFSA), who set the tone for the event by outlining key trends in the global and local aluminium sector. His presentation highlighted South Africa's strategic position in the decarbonisation of global supply chains and called for stronger collaboration between technology providers and smelters. 'Each speaker brought relevant, practical insights,' said Thami Maphanga, metallurgist at Spectrum Technical. 'Delegates appreciated the mix of real-world applications and future-focused technologies. The networking sessions also allowed for valuable dialogue between smelter teams and OEMs.' The event also included a gala dinner where delegates engaged informally with one another in a fun-filled evening. For more information, contact Spectrum Technical at seminar2025@ +27 35 789 6563 or visit At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
USAID order to delete classified records sparks flurry of litigation
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employees and outside groups are fighting an order from the agency's leadership to shred and burn its classified documents as well as personnel records. An email obtained by The Hill sent by USAID's acting executive secretary instructs remaining employees at the dismantled agencies to 'shred as many documents as possible first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break.' The move alarmed those fighting to restore the agency — who stressed the destruction could run afoul of public records laws and hinder any efforts to rehire employees. It has also raised questions over whether it will impact the ability of the public to scrutinize the role the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) played at USAID. In two different suits, an organization representing USAID employees along with one representing contractors asked judges for a restraining order to block the agency from destroying the documents — arguing it could impact ongoing litigation and violate their obligation to retain relevant evidence. 'This directive suggests a rapid destruction of agency records on a large scale that could not plausibly involve a reasoned assessment of the records retention obligations for the relevant documents under the [Federal Records Act] or in relation to this ongoing litigation,' the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) said in its suit. The Personal Services Contractor Association in its suit said Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys have 'not confirmed or denied or explained' the order. They also asked 'how and why burning and shredding is consistent with preservation obligations in litigation, which documents are being destroyed and why, who authorized it and what DOJ is doing to stop it.' In its suit with AFSA, the Justice Department agreed to pause the shredding, saying they would file a motion later Wednesday including information on 'which documents were destroyed and not destroyed.' The White House has said USAID's move out of the Ronald Reagan Building spurred the need to destroy the records, saying all physical records have still been maintained electronically. USAID employees last month were given 15 minutes to clear out their offices. But Kel McClanahan — a national security law expert who has since filed a complaint with the National Archives — compared the process to how U.S. embassies handle records when they are facing an imminent attack. 'I think it's very telling that the protocols that they are employing are the protocols that embassies use where they're about to be overrun. And it's really kind of hilariously macabre that even the DOGE people are treating themselves as an invading army into a U.S. facility,' he said. Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, stressed that the documents in question have all been retained electronically. 'The USAID building will soon be occupied by CBP,' she wrote on the social platform X, referencing U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 'This was sent to roughly three dozen employees. The documents involved were old, mostly courtesy content (content from other agencies), and the originals still exist on classified computer systems.' An administration official also told The Hill that the small group of remaining employees at USAID who handled the information all had proper clearances and that all documents were reviewed by those at relevant bureaus within USAID. Bureaus without a proper representative to review them were set aside. McClanahan noted several complexities of public records laws, however, including that multiple versions of a document must be maintained, giving the example of a document that is separately signed by multiple individuals. While physical copies can be destroyed if electronically retained, multiple versions of a document would need to be stored. He also faulted the White House for failing to comment on the destruction of personnel records. 'They were destroying classified and personnel records. So why were the personnel records in a classified system? Well, they weren't. … So that's why I think they were not doing what the law would allow them to do,' he said. 'I am entirely comfortable saying I might be wrong. This may have just been a very poorly worded memo and a very poorly informed deputy press secretary, and it was actually above board. But until they prove that, I'm not going to give them the benefit of the doubt.' McClanahan has also filed a public records request on behalf of podcast host Allison Gill noting that any records with 'detailed biographical data' must be considered 'sensitive but unclassified,' thus requiring agencies to maintain records with details about what was destroyed. AFSA also raised concerns about the deletion of personnel records, relaying hope that some USAID employees could eventually be returned to their jobs. 'If the agency is required as a result of this litigation to rehire terminated employees, personnel records that identify USAID employees and contain personal contact information will be essential to rehiring those employees. If USAID lacks records containing contact information for terminated employees, it will be severely constrained in its ability to rehire them,' the association wrote. The filing noted the National Nuclear Security Administration had the same struggle just last month when it sought to rehire some of its own staff swiftly dismissed by DOGE. American Oversight, an outside watchdog group, also sued over the matter late Tuesday, arguing the document destruction would violate the Federal Records Act and the Freedom of Information Act. But the group also stressed that deleting the records could obscure DOGE's unusual role in the dismantling of USAID. 'While the Trump Administration may wish that it could simply, with the blink of an eye and an implementation of an executive order, erase an independent agency established by Congress and its attendant obligations as a federal agency, it may not,' the group said. 'And federal records at USAID — relating not just to the important work done by the agency over the past 60 years but to the gutting of the agency itself — are in danger of being lost to history by Defendants' failure to comply with federal recordkeeping and disclosure laws.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
