National Science Foundation Reinstates Fired Probationary Employees

Court ruling and updated federal guidance prompt NSF to rehire 84 employees with backpay after Trump-era layoffs.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is reinstating 84 of 86 probationary employees terminated in February following updated guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and a federal court ruling.
The reinstated employees, who include individuals with disabilities, veterans, and military spouses, will receive backpay and no break in service, according to NSF leadership.
A federal court found that the OPM exceeded its authority by directing agencies to terminate probationary employees, deeming the mass firings likely unlawful.
The terminations were part of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative to reduce the federal workforce, which affected thousands of employees across agencies.
Reinstatement efforts have been criticized for poor communication, with some employees learning of their rehiring through media reports rather than direct notification.