Embattled Voice of America employees face termination ‘whiplash'

Politico

8 hours ago

Several Voice of America employees based in Washington who received termination notices last week had those notices temporarily rescinded on Friday, the latest turn in the Trump administration's chaotic dismantling of the U.S.-funded media outlet.
It was not clear how many VOA journalists and employees received the email. Those who received it still expect to be laid off — the email noted that the U.S. Agency for Global Media, VOA's parent agency, will be 'running another RIF in the near future' — but the timeline for when their jobs will now be terminated is now unclear.
It's the latest development in a grueling series of back and forths between the embattled employees at the network and Kari Lake, the Trump adviser who has orchestrated the dismantling of VOA and USAGM's other global media networks. Critics have argued that Lake is leading a purge that is weakening the U.S.'s global standing by emboldened propaganda in countries that do not have a free press, including Iran and China.
'This email serves to inform you that the previously issued Reduction in Force notification dated June 20, 2025, is hereby rescinded,' read the email from the human resources department for the USAGM, which was obtained by POLITICO.
Employees who initially received RIF notices had a separation date of Sept. 1, and now, there's no clear timeline of when the termination process will be completed.
Lake disputed the change in status in a text to POLITICO, saying 'That is not true,' and that 'Employees have the option to work until their last day which I believe is around the beginning or middle of September. Employees who choose to work after receiving RIF notifications are working.'
But after receiving a screenshot of the email, Lake said: 'The rescission of a subset of previously issued reduction in force letters allows employees to access and update their personnel files ahead of completion of the RIF which will be helpful as they pursue other employment,' adding that it 'is also part of union negotiations.'
Paula Hickey, the president of VOA's American Federation of Government Employees Local chapter 1812, said that the move came after the union met with USAGM on Monday to 'discuss violations of the law and contract in regard to the RIF.'
'The recission is a result of the union's actions,' Hickey added.
Employees noted several errors with their termination notices, including wrong dates of birth, wrong start dates and calculating severance payments incorrectly. Hickey said that the agency issued RIF notices without completing bargaining, which she says is a shift in status quo and violation of the federal law.
Since a March executive order from President Donald Trump ordering the dismantling of several government-funded news agencies, some employees have sued the administration and Lake, arguing that its dismantling was unlawful.
Employees with VOA's Persian-language service were abruptly called back to work after the war between Israel and Iran escalated — and then received RIF notices days after.
'They're failing at running an international media organization and now it seems they're failing at firing us too,' said former VOA White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara, one of the lead plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the Trump administration. 'In the meantime, more than 600 people are experiencing whiplash from their incompetence.'