Trump administration agrees to pause any layoffs at CFPB – Government Executive
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks as Congressional Democrats and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau workers hold a rally outside its headquarters on Feb. 10, 2025 in Washington, D.C., to protest the closing of the agency and the work-from-home order issued by CFPB Director Russell Vought.
Jemal Countess/Getty Images for MoveOn
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Eric Katz
The Trump administration on Friday agreed temporarily not to lay off or arbitrarily fire any employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or otherwise take actions to shutter the agency. The agreement, reached with approval from U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in the D.C. Circuit, marked the second time in recent weeks a federal judge prevented the administration from closing an agency. The order will maintain the status quo at CFPB for at least 17 days after a union representing employees there argued the agency was preparing to issue a reduction in force to all staff in the coming days. The National Treasury Employees Union and the Justice Department mutually reached the agreement after the government lawyers told Jackson they could not confirm whether or not CFPB layoffs were coming. Russ Vought, the Office of Management and Budget director who is also serving as CFPB’s acting chief, has instructed employees at the bureau to cease all of their work and has closed its Washington headquarters. Vought also sought to zero out CFPB’s funding, though that decision is also currently paused due to a separate legal battle. The Trump administration agreed not to transfer out any of its funds, nor will it “delete, destroy, remove, or impair any data, database or other CFPB records.” CFPB has already fired all of its probationary period employees and NTEU contended it was playing to RIF 95% of staff in short order. Until March 3, the agency is now barred from issuing any RIFs or terminating “any CFPB employee, except for cause related to the specific employee’s performance or conduct.” Jackson will hold a hearing on March 3 to determine whether to issue a longer-lasting preliminary injunction on the Trump administration’s moves. Another federal judge acted similarly to restrain the administration’s efforts at the U.S. Agency for International Development, where such an order will remain in effect at least through Feb. 21. The agency had placed virtually all of its employees on administrative leave and had ordered its staff abroad to abruptly return home, but the judge unwound both of those actions.Related articlesJudge extends order blocking USAID leave notices and evacuations
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Source: https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/02/trump-administration-agrees-pause-any-layoffs-cfpb/403046/
