A new bill to address the mass firings of probationary federal workers by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is picking up bipartisan support.
First-term Republican Reps. Michael Baumgartner of Washington and Jeff Hurd of Colorado have signed onto legislation that would ensure that recently terminated probationary workers could reclaim the seniority they amassed in their previous positions if later rehired by the government.
Their support for the Protect Our Probationary Employees Act — to be formally introduced Tuesday by fellow first term Rep. Sarah Elfreth, Maryland Democrat — marks the latest response from Republicans who are increasingly feeling political pressure to offer some response to DOGE’s actions.
The DOGE backlash has gotten so difficult for many members back home that the chair of the House GOP campaign operation instructed lawmakers last week not to hold in-person town halls to avoid scrutiny from constituents.
“In the past month, we have seen an unprecedented attack on our federal workforce through the indiscriminate firings of probationary employees,” Elfreth said in a statement. “These are patriots who serve our country, but instead of being thanked for their service, they were tossed to the curb and told not to let the door hit them on the way out.”
Co-sponsors of the legislation include Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Brad Schneider of Illinois and Rep. Darren Soto of Florida.
Democratic Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland are planning to introduce companion legislation to Elfreth’s bill in the Senate.
Federal workers would only benefit from the Protect Our Probationary Employees Act if they were rehired by the federal government in their same positions — but there is some hope among advocates that the courts may compel the administration to do so.
After the Trump administration, at DOGE’s behest, moved to fire broad swaths of the government workforce in their probationary period, a judge ruled that action was illegal. The judge did not, however, order that the affected employees be reinstated.
Separately, the chair of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board board ordered this month that the Trump administration must reinstate thousands of probationary workers terminated by the Department of Agriculture.
Still, there is virtually no chance the bill will become law in a Republican governing trifecta.
