Recent developments have brought back hope for over 3,600 federal workers. After a lengthy government shutdown, notices of job eliminations, known as Reduction in Force (RIF) notices, have been rescinded. This follows a significant legislative measure passed by Congress last week.
Details of Notice Rescission for Federal Workers
As of November 21, 2025, a total of 3,605 federal employees received notification that their job loss notices are now void. The Justice Department submitted filings to a federal court in San Francisco, confirming the formal cancellation of these RIF notices.
Impact of the Continuing Resolution
The shutdown lasted for an unprecedented duration, and its conclusion resulted in positive changes for many federal workers. The continuing resolution (CR) allowed for the formal eradication of RIFs issued on or after October 1, 2025.
- RIF notices now have no legal standing.
- Federal agencies are prohibited from using funding to conduct additional RIFs while the current CR is effective.
Prior to the CR, several federal employees were at risk of losing their jobs. These included significant figures from various agencies, such as:
- More than 1,300 employees from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- 54 employees from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
Ongoing Legal Considerations
A union lawsuit previously resulted in a preliminary injunction that halted the layoffs. However, the current administration contends that with the enactment of the CR, it is unnecessary to continue litigation regarding the legality of the original RIF notices. Legal representatives have indicated the case is now considered moot.
Despite these positive shifts, uncertainty lingers for 299 positions in the Department of Education’s civil rights division. Notifications for these roles were issued on October 14, amidst the CR implementation period. The Department argued that the original notices had been issued in March 2025, and thus, they were not covered under the recent legislative measures.
Jacqueline Clay, the chief human capital officer for the Department of Education, stated that efforts to finalize the March 2025 RIF group are on hold. This pause is in response to the preliminary injunction while awaiting further judicial clarification.
In summary, over 3,600 federal workers have received good news with the rescission of RIF notices. However, the situation remains complex for certain individuals within the Department of Education.
