USDA Employees in Wisconsin Face Uncertainty Amid Reinstatement Order
Thousands of probationary workers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been offered a temporary reprieve as a federal board intervenes in their recent terminations. In Wisconsin, affected employees are navigating an uncertain future following this unexpected development.
The Merit Systems Protection Board has mandated the USDA to reinstate approximately 6,000 probationary employees for a period of 45 days. This action is part of an ongoing investigation into the dismissals that took place on or after February 13. The board, which addresses disputes and complaints from federal employees, issued this order in response to concerns raised by the Office of Special Counsel.
The Office of Special Counsel had previously requested a halt to the dismissals, citing efforts by the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to significantly reduce the federal workforce. Although the USDA has agreed to comply with this ruling, it has refrained from further comment.
In Madison, Jules Reynolds, a former USDA program coordinator, expressed uncertainty after learning of the board’s decision. Reynolds, who was involved with the SHARE initiative at the Dairy Forage Research Center, described the order as a “huge win” for federal employees, but acknowledged the uncertainty it presents.
“I don’t know how it’s going to play out in the days to follow,” Reynolds stated. “If I was to be reinstated, it just seems sort of like a logistic nightmare.”
The potential reinstatement could be short-lived, as the Trump administration has instructed federal agencies to prepare for substantial workforce reductions. Reynolds likened the situation to a “bad roller coaster ride,” impacting not only her but also the center’s ongoing research and outreach efforts.
Reynolds, like many others, is eager to understand her rights while balancing other employment opportunities, including bartending shifts she has scheduled. Another former employee, who requested anonymity, is seeking to regain his position with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “I’d love to go back,” he said. “I want to serve my country, just like I did when I was in the Army, but I also don’t want to play these mind games.”
In the broader agricultural community, the reinstatement is seen as beneficial. Darin Von Ruden, president of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, noted that adequate staffing is crucial for supporting farmers amid economic challenges. “There’s a need for adequate employee staffing to make sure that we have the program availability for farmers to be able to survive in the economic uncertainty that we’re currently in,” Von Ruden remarked.
The USDA has not disclosed how it will implement the board’s order, the specific number of employees potentially reinstated in Wisconsin, or how it plans to reconcile this with the directive to prepare for layoffs.
As of September, Wisconsin had 264 USDA employees with two years or less of service. The Office of Special Counsel has argued that the terminations violated regulations governing “reductions in force,” asserting that these actions were not based on poor performance but rather on agency reorganization plans. Under such regulations, affected employees are entitled to a 60-day notice.
Cathy Harris, a member of the Merit Systems Protection Board, found it likely that the USDA violated personnel practice regulations. The USDA has a five-day window to demonstrate compliance with the board’s directive.
