The Trump administration is reinstating dozens of Education Department staffers who had been slated for layoffs, citing the urgent need to address a growing backlog of discrimination complaints from students and families.
These employees were on administrative leave as the department faced lawsuits challenging layoffs in the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which investigates allegations of discrimination in schools and colleges. A department letter instructs staff to return to duty starting December 15 to help process pending civil rights cases.
A department spokesperson confirmed the move, noting that while the layoffs remain part of efforts to reduce the department’s size, the administration must prioritize handling existing complaints.“The Department will continue to appeal ongoing litigation over the Reductions in Force, but in the meantime, it will utilize all employees currently being compensated by taxpayers,” said a spokesperson.
The OCR handles complaints related to racial discrimination, disability rights, sex-based discrimination, and other civil rights violations. The office has the authority to withhold federal funding from schools that violate laws, though most cases are resolved through voluntary agreements.
More than 200 OCR employees were initially targeted in mass layoffs, which have been tied up in legal battles since March. Although an appeals court cleared the way for cuts in September, a separate lawsuit has again put the layoffs on hold. The department’s workforce has decreased from 4,100 employees when Trump took office to roughly half that number, as the administration continues efforts to reduce the agency.
The OCR backlog has grown from approximately 20,000 cases in January to more than 25,000 due to staffing reductions. Critics argue that the office cannot manage the current caseload effectively with limited staff, while officials defend the layoffs, citing previous inefficiencies even at full capacity.
Families who have filed complaints have reported long delays, with some waiting months for updates. The reinstatement of staff aims to expedite the processing of these cases and ensure students’ civil rights complaints are addressed more promptly.
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