{"id":31841,"date":"2025-02-21T23:45:57","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T23:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/02\/21\/pentagon-plans-to-cut-5400-probationary-workers-starting-next-week\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:15:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:15:35","slug":"pentagon-plans-to-cut-5400-probationary-workers-starting-next-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/fedlife\/career\/2025\/02\/21\/pentagon-plans-to-cut-5400-probationary-workers-starting-next-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentagon plans to cut 5,400 probationary workers starting next week"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Defense Department said Friday that it\u2019s cutting 5,400 probationary workers starting next week and will put a hiring freeze in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes after staffers from the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, were at the Pentagon earlier in the week and received lists of such employees<\/a>, U.S. officials said. They said those lists did not include uniformed military personnel, who are exempt. Probationary employees are generally those on the job for less than a year and who have yet to gain civil service protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe anticipate reducing the Department\u2019s civilian workforce by 5-8% to produce efficiencies and refocus the Department on the President\u2019s priorities and restoring readiness in the force,\u201d Darin Selnick, who is acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\t