February 15th, 2025

US wants to un-fire nuclear safety workers can't figure out how to reach them

The Trump administration is struggling to reinstate recently fired NNSA employees due to lost contact information, amid broader workforce reductions and rising nuclear risks, facing significant backlash and legal challenges.

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US wants to un-fire nuclear safety workers can't figure out how to reach them

The Trump administration is facing challenges in reinstating nuclear safety workers from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) who were recently terminated. After the firings, which occurred on a Thursday, the NNSA officials attempted to notify the affected employees about their reinstatement but struggled to reach them due to the loss of access to their federal email accounts. An internal email indicated that the agency lacked updated contact information for these employees and requested assistance from remaining staff to relay the reinstatement information to personal email addresses. The firings were part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce, particularly targeting probationary employees. This rapid approach has led to complications, including the dismissal of individuals that agencies wish to retain. The terminations coincided with heightened nuclear risk concerns following a Russian drone strike on the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine, an area monitored by the NNSA. The administration's mass layoffs have faced significant backlash from Democrats, labor unions, and progressive groups, with over 60 lawsuits challenging the legality of these actions.

- The Trump administration is attempting to reinstate recently fired NNSA employees but lacks their contact information.

- The firings were part of a broader effort to reduce the federal workforce, particularly among probationary employees.

- The terminations occurred amid rising nuclear risk concerns related to the situation in Ukraine.

- The administration's rapid layoffs have faced criticism and legal challenges from various groups.

Link Icon 18 comments
By @joezydeco - 2 months
Geez, it's almost like Russia handed them a priority checklist of organizations that needed to go toothless as soon as possible. CIA influence in Europe, aid to Ukraine, nuclear strike capability...
By @inverted_flag - 2 months
Firing an employee and then begging them to come back because of how essential they are? Art of the deal.
By @steeve - 2 months
Impeccable job guys. Move fast, break things, nuclear edition.
By @duxup - 2 months
This is one of those clueless new executive who thinks he knows better than everyone type situations.

Except for nuclear security.

By @unyttigfjelltol - 2 months
The administration claimed that the first year or two of employment is part of the "application process." We all know that's nonsense. A generation of skilled workers is learning to distrust and avoid government service at all costs, precisely the people government should want to attract. Wrong move, DOGE bros.
By @ChrisArchitect - 2 months
By @cmdtab - 2 months
How does this shape employment sentiment in the US? Has there been any change in how people behave at workplace as result of mass layoffs?
By @vinni2 - 2 months
They can hire Homer Simpson.
By @itronitron - 2 months
>> that speed has resulted in complications, including firing people agencies actually want to keep.

No shit, Sherlock. If the agencies didn't want to keep them they wouldn't be there.

Also, 'probationary' employees are most likely to be new hires, which the agency has actively invested time and money into recruiting and hiring.

They are probably also younger and have more voting years ahead of them :)

By @s0rce - 2 months
I saw on linkedin a federal nuclear safety engineer was looking for work. Good job government.
By @rawgabbit - 2 months
With friends like these we don’t need enemies.
By @sys_64738 - 2 months
Is the US basically defenseless at this moment in time from a nuclear attack?
By @michaelbarton - 2 months
Graebers “bullshit jobs” books feels so relevant right now

Not because he’d say that the nuclear safety officers are the bullshit jobs, but the ones who fired and then unable to rehire them are

Really worth a read (or listen!)

By @jisnsm - 2 months
I love being on Reddit
By @willmadden - 2 months
Why is this propaganda on hacker news?
By @aSithLord - 2 months
So the biden administration had no way to contact them except by showing up at their job? lol