 "US govt workers to be put on administrative leave if they fail to return to office, says Musk")
US President Donald Trump’s adviser Elon Musk said on Monday that starting this week, government workers would be put on administrative leave if they fail to return to the office.
Those who ignored President Trump’s executive order to return to work have now received over a month’s warning.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 24, 2025
Starting this week, those who still fail to return to office will be placed on administrative leave. https://t.co/7XRj6W21eX
“Those who ignored President Trump’s executive order to return to work have now received over a month’s warning,” Musk, the world’s richest person who is leading a downsizing effort at the US government, said in a social media post on X.
“Starting this week, those who still fail to return to office will be placed on administrative leave, he added.
US government employees, already feeling the effects of President Trump’s tumultuous return to power, face uncertainty as many will need to justify their roles to Musk.
Musk’s request for civil-service workers to submit a summary of their work by 11:59 pm Eastern time (0459 GMT) has created divisions within Trump’s administration.
Agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Communications Commission have instructed employees to comply, while others — including the departments of Defence, Homeland Security, Education, Commerce, and Energy — have advised workers not to respond.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe Department of Health and Human Services told its workers to cooperate, then later told them to hold off while it figured out how to “best meet the intent” of Musk’s unusual directive.
Workers at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also received Musk’s email, even though they have been already ordered to cease working.
Musk warned federal workers to comply, writing in a Monday morning post on his social media network X, “Those who do not take this email seriously will soon be furthering their career elsewhere.”
The world’s richest person, Musk has spearheaded a downsizing initiative that has resulted in over 20,000 layoffs and buyout offers to another 75,000 across various sectors of the 2.3-million-strong civil service, affecting roles from bank regulators to park rangers.
In some instances, the government has had to rush to rehire employees essential for critical tasks, such as nuclear weapons oversight and bird flu response. The downsizing has also triggered a surge of lawsuits, including those from labour organisations.
Late Sunday, Trump’s administration announced plans to terminate 1,600 employees at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and place nearly all remaining staff on leave. Trump has already suspended nearly all of the agency’s funding and operations, causing turmoil in global humanitarian relief efforts.
These mass layoffs have suddenly left many workers facing financial uncertainty after relying on their jobs for stable income.
With inputs from agencies
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