WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Education Department is reinstating numerous employees from the Office for Civil Rights that were scheduled to be laid off, following the necessity to tackle a growing backlog of discrimination complaints. These staffers were previously on administrative leave amid ongoing postal lawsuits related to the agency's recent layoffs. In a letter dated Friday, officials ordered the workers back to duty commencing December 15 to help clear the civil rights complaint caseload.
A department spokesperson confirmed this action while also indicating that layoffs are still on the horizon as part of the department's strategy to reduce its size. The Department will continue to appeal the persistent and unceasing litigation disputes concerning the Reductions in Force, but in the meantime, it will utilize all employees currently being compensated by American taxpayers, stated Julie Hartman, a department spokesperson.
The Office for Civil Rights tackles various complaints, ranging from potential breaches of disability rights to instances of racial discrimination. Officials noted that all OCR staff should prioritize addressing the existing complaint backlog.
More than 200 employees from the Office for Civil Rights had previously been deemed for termination, with legal challenges stalling their layoffs since March. Following an appeals court's ruling that cleared the way for the cuts in September, another lawsuit has put these plans on hold once again. Under President Trump, the Education Department's workforce has dwindled from approximately 4,100 to nearly half that size, as the president seeks to downsize the agency.
While the department did not disclose how many employees would return, the backlog stands at over 25,000 discrimination cases—up from around 20,000 when Trump took office. Some families awaiting responses to their complaints have faced delays of several months, raising concerns about the diminishing ability of the office to handle its workload effectively.
As work resumes, department officials emphasize the importance of addressing every complaint thoroughly. The Office for Civil Rights oversees the enforcement of key civil rights laws pertaining to education, having the authority to deprive funding from institutions in violation of the law, although many cases are usually resolved through voluntary agreements.
