On March 17, Boulder NOAA employees who were fired as part of Trump’s mass firings of federal workers were temporarily reinstated after a federal judge ruled they were terminated illegally. U.S. District Judge James Bredar found that probationary employees were fired without proper procedure and ordered their reinstatement for 14 days while he considers longer relief.
However, reinstated NOAA employees are not returning to work quite yet. Instead, they’ve been placed on paid administrative leave. The Department of Commerce, which also oversees National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) offices in Boulder, warned employees that if the judge’s decision is overturned, they could be fired again. The agency also assured them that any “indebtedness” owed to the federal government due to their brief reinstatement would be waived.
Judge Bredar’s order affects a wide range of federal agencies, which are responding differently. Some, like the EPA and Department of Agriculture, have also placed employees on paid administrative leave, according to the New York Times. Others, like the Department of Transportation, are allowing employees to return to their jobs without mention of possibly firing them again.
One fired Boulder NOAA employee said NOAA workers are concerned about the Department of Commerce’s messages regarding employees being terminated again and financial obligations — language they have not seen in other agencies’ memos.
“Everyone is trying to figure out the loopholes within the memo,” she said. “There is fear that the wording could be used against us.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is already pushing back, having unsuccessfully appealed a similar decision issued by a San Francisco judge.
Where’s our elected Congressman Joe Neguse here? Will he write another strongly-worded letter or actually show up and fight for his constituents. As am not sure what’s worse, a capricious and bad-faith firing of highly-skilled gov employees by a corrupt political regime, or how feckless and impotent the Democrats are acting while this all unfolds. Maybe he should actually be present and available to his constituents, dare say hold a Town Hall….because at this point AOC and Bernie, whom will both be here Friday, are doing more outreach to Colorado voters than he’s bothered to do. Because while House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse is keeping his seat warm in the halls of power among introducing legislation that will go nowhere to signal his virtuous commitment to Democracy…Rome is burning.
Neguse is here, in Colorado this weekend. You can see him in person in Summit County on Saturday morning, or at Monarch HS on Saturday afternoon (assuming traffic on I-70 behaves). Maybe he’ll make an appearance with Bernie and AOC on Friday during their whistle stop tour?
Register for Neguse’s townhall in Louisville here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSent_ngA–12uxjda8bpwy8s-3L39KT1O_wiCF9_oscL6MERw/viewform