DOE asks laid-off workers to return to address civil rights backlog

The U.S. Department of Education is asking hundreds of employees it laid off in March to temporarily return to work. The Education Department’s request comes as the agency faces a backlog of school discrimination cases.

Obtained in an email and first reported by USA todaythe Department of Education is asking approximately 250 laid-off employees of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to return around December 15, recognizing that it faces a significant amount of civil rights complaints. The OCR is responsible for investigating discrimination based on race, color, sex, disability and national origin.

When President Donald Trump took office for a second term in January the OCR had a backlog of 20,000 discrimination casesaccording to the Federal News Network. Since then, the department has shrunk by 4,100 employees as Trump made good on his campaign promise to trim the federal workforce.

A spokesperson said there are no plans to permanently rehire laid-off staff, despite the department’s legal challenges following the March layoffs.

“The Department will continue to appeal the ongoing and ongoing litigation over the force reductions, but in the meantime, it will utilize all employees currently being compensated by American taxpayers,” Department spokesperson Julie Hartman told the U.S. Department of State. Federal News Networkk in a statement.

Department of Education dismisses thousands of civil rights complaints

Civil rights advocates and former department officials have raised alarms since layoffs at the Department of Education after the agency quickly dismissed thousands of civil rights complaints earlier this year.

If BLACK BUSINESS Previously reported, the department dismissed more than 3,000 civil rights complaints between March 11 and June 27.

OCR received 4,833 complaints, opened 309 for investigation and opened 26 targeted investigations. Court documents show that nearly 100 of the complaints were resolved because there was insufficient evidence during the investigation. Another 290 complaints were resolved through voluntary agreements, settlements or technical assistance.

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