The US State Department is laying off more than 1,300 employees as part of President Donald Trump's reorganisation plan notified earlier this year.
The updated reorganisation plan, which proposed cuts to some programs and an 18 per cent reduction of staff, was notified to the Congress in May.
Layoff notices will be sent to to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers who have domestic assignments in the US, the Associated Press quoted a senior State Department official as saying.
The separation period for the civil servants stands at 60 days, while affected foreign service officers will be immediately placed on administrative leave for 120 days. Following this, they will formally lose their jobs, as per an internal notice accessed by AP.
The department had on Thursday apprised staffers that layoff notices to some would be sent soon.
“In connection with the departmental reorganisation … the department is streamlining domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities,” the notice says.
It adds that “headcount reductions” are geared towards “non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices offices where considerable efficiencies may be found from centralization or consolidation of functions and responsibilities.”
{{/usCountry}}It adds that “headcount reductions” are geared towards “non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices offices where considerable efficiencies may be found from centralization or consolidation of functions and responsibilities.”
{{/usCountry}}The move comes after the US Supreme Court overrode lower court orders imposing a freeze on the cuts. However, lawsuits regarding the legality of the firings are still ongoing.
In a notice to staff members Thursday, Michael Rigas, the department’s deputy secretary for management and resources, also thanked them for their “dedication and service”.
The targets of Trump's reorganisation plan
The letter sent by the US State Department to the Congress had said that apart from eliminating divisions, it would also remove programs related to immigration, human rights and promotion of democracy.
The letter stated that the reorganisation is expected to affect more than 300 bureaus and offices, especially departments which were undertaking work which is unclear or overlapping with others.
The State Department is also looking to remove divisions focused on overseeing America's involvement in Afghanistan, AP reported.
‘Very deliberate step’: Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the officials has taken “a very deliberate step” to make the State Department “more efficient and more focused”.
Speaking to reporters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday, Rubio said the decision was not a consequence of “trying to get rid of people”.
“If you close the bureau, you don’t need those positions…Understand that some of these are positions that are being eliminated, not people,” AP quoted Rubio as saying.
He clarified that some of these cuts would include positions that are not filled or are about to be vacant because of an employee's early retirement.