Federal Employees Recalled Amid Cost-Cutting Chaos

Tue Oct 21 2025 02:21:32 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a surprising reversal, hundreds of federal employees dismissed during cost-cutting measures under Elon Musk's directives are being asked to return to their positions as the General Services Administration grapples with staffing shortages and rising costs.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is requesting hundreds of previously dismissed employees to return to work after drastic cost-cutting measures resulted in staff shortages and mounting operational challenges. This reversal comes six months after a significant downsizing aimed at reducing the federal workforce, leading to increased confusion and expenses as the agency navigates its management of agency properties and leases.

MIAMI (AP) — In a surprising twist following Elon Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting initiatives, hundreds of federal employees who lost their jobs are now being invited back to work. The General Services Administration (GSA) issued a memo requiring employees who managed government workspaces to respond by the end of the week regarding reinstatement.

Those choosing to return must be back on duty by October 6, having effectively had a seven-month paid sabbatical. During this period, the GSA incurred significant expenses for maintaining numerous properties targeted for lease terminations.

Chad Becker, a former real estate official with the GSA, criticized the drastic downsizing, stating, Ultimately, the agency was left broken and understaffed. They didn’t have the people they needed to carry out basic functions. Becker noted that this sudden shift reflects a miscalculation by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

Rehiring Efforts Across Agencies

Established in the 1940s, the GSA’s main role is to centralize the management of federal workplaces. This latest recall aligns with similar efforts seen in other agencies affected by DOGE policies, including the IRS and the National Park Service, which have also reinstated employees after cost-cutting measures.

Since March, the GSA has seen a significant number of employees depart under programs promoting voluntary resignations and early retirements. Those recently recalled had been dismissed during an aggressive campaign to shrink the federal workforce.

The GSA did not respond to inquiries about the recent return-to-work notices or discuss the financial implications of reversing plans to end leases for government properties.

Further criticism of the Trump administration’s approach to the GSA has emerged from Democrats, who claim the indiscriminate cuts have not only failed to yield savings but have also created costly bureaucratic confusion crippling vital services that taxpayers rely on.

As the GSA navigates the fallout from its earlier actions, a watchdog report from the Government Accountability Office is expected, shedding light on the agency's workforce management and associated lease decisions in the coming months.