US Education Department pays $7M/month to employees asked to leave
What's the story
According to an analysis by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 252, the union that represents department employees, the United States Department of Education is paying more than $7 million a month to employees it has forced to go on leave.
This payment could continue for years amid a long court battle over cuts instituted by the Trump administration, CNN reported.
Payment
Total payment made
Per AFGE's calculation, the department has already paid almost $21 million to idle staff since March, when the agency reduced its workforce by nearly half.
Of the department's workforce of about 4,100, roughly 1,300 people were laid off, and hundreds more took voluntary "buyouts."
Under the terms of the layoffs, affected workers were to be paid their salaries until June 9.
Firings
Trump administration's objective of efficiency
The firings were part of President Donald Trump's overarching strategy to dismantle the Department of Education and to implement efficiencies through budget cuts across the government.
In recent months, dozens of other agencies have also experienced cuts.
However, a federal court blocked the White House's plans to shut down the agency, reinstating workers and placing them on "administrative leave."
Cost
Actual cost may be higher
The true cost to the department is much higher than $7 million/month, according to AFGE Local 252, which analyzed salaries of over 900 affected workers.
This is because the number doesn't include employee benefits or managers' pay.
When announcing the layoffs, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the cuts reflected the agency's "commitment to efficiency, accountability...and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most."
Reinstatement
Department's offer
In an email, the agency told workers on Friday that they would continue to be employed and that it was assessing how to "reintegrate you back to the office in the most seamless way possible."
Recently, some employees of the Department of Education have even reported being offered settlements in exchange for resigning from their positions, CNN reported.