The NOAA reportedly cut hundreds of workers including many probationary employees on Thursday with more cuts expected Friday. File Photo by Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA-EFE
Feb. 28 (UPI) — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reportedly began cutting hundreds of workers with more expected to be laid off on Friday.
The cuts began on Thursday with hundreds of probationary employees relieved of their duties, CNN, The Hill and NPR reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
“The agency finds you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and/or skills do not fit the agency’s current needs,” some letters to NOAA workers read, according to CNN, which also reported many of the employees had worked with the agency for a year or less.
CNN reported that there were between 350 and 375 employees with probationary status although it wasn’t immediately clear how many were impacted.
Overall, the layoffs were expected to impact between 560 and 1,830 workers, representing more than 10% of the NOAA’s reported permanent workforce of 11,758 as of fiscal 2023, The Hill reported.
They said some departing employees were given less than two hours to leave their offices, leaving staff managing the NOAA’s central weather forecasting models to move quickly to transfer access to remaining employees.
One of those released, Andrew Hazelton, was a researcher with a doctorate in meteorology. His job included evaluating life-saving hurricane forecasting and to improve the models the National Hurricane Center uses to track such deadly storms.
Along with weather forecasting, the NOAA manages oceanic fisheries, protects coastal resources, and creates and updates maritime maps for global shipping. Local weather reports rely on the National Weather Service for their predictions.
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