20-02-2025
Probationary federal workers challenge termination letters
WASHINGTON () —Probationary federal workers fired in the mass layoffs are now raising the alarm about their termination letters.
Several former U.S. Department of Transportation probationary employees said the termination letters state they were let go based on performance as opposed to the mass layoffs.
They are now calling this 'wrongful termination.'
'The U.S. Department of Transportation finds that based on your performance, you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Department of Transportation would be in the public interests,' said Victoria Hinkle.
When Victoria Hinkle said the stated reason for her termination was simply not true.
'It was absolutely a lie like I had mentioned I had received a performance evaluation that said I had exceeded expectations,' said Hinkle.
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She's not the only probationary worker who received a letter with the same reason for termination.
'It was extremely surprising because it happened so quickly,' said Patti Smith. 'I was getting a termination letter that was based on performance and I had never had performance issues documented and it was the opposite. I had an exemplary performance. So it was insulting to get that email.'
This comes as the Trump administration ordered agencies to lay off nearly all probationary employees who have less than a year of experience on the job and have not yet gained civil service protection.
'We have less protections or presumption of less protections to appeal so it's easy,' says Smith. 'We're like easy targets.'
Now, Victoria and Patti are worried about how this will impact their ability to get benefits and gain federal employment in the future.
'This is very inhumane,' said Hinkle. 'It's very unjust. They didn't give us [a] chance.'
Victoria and Patti said other probationary employees are now looking to fight this in the courts as wrongful termination.
DC News Now reached out to USDOT and has yet to hear back.
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