Tag Archives: Rehired

Some NOAA Employees Rehired After Dismissal Now Receive Letters Demanding Repayment

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Some former employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who were dismissed, re-hired, and then let go again this spring report having received debt notices from the federal government requiring repayment for medical compensation which they assert they never received.

These workers describe this as the latest chapter in a firing process marked by confusion, inadequate communication, and insufficient documentation, leaving them grappling with fundamental workplace concerns.

Three NOAA employees provided a letter to NBC News labeled “Notice of Payment Request.” Dated June 16, the letter claimed the employee owed money (sometimes several hundred dollars) with potential interest on the amount. It also warned that any unpaid debt would be reported to the Credit Bureau.

“The language is very ominous and threatening,” remarked Salakoury, who was dismissed in late February from his role as director of the agency’s marine acidification program.

It remains unclear how many dismissed employees received this notice; two former NOAA staff members informed NBC News that they did not get such letters.

The notice indicates that the debt pertains to healthcare premiums for the eighth and ninth months of the year, during which the health insurance plan had already lapsed.

“After my termination, they attempted to file a claim related to their health insurance, of which I had no reports,” noted Ya’el Seid-Green, a former special assistant at NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Atmospheric Research. “It’s just rubbing salt in the wound regarding how incompetent this is.”

NOAA spokesperson Kim Doster stated the agency could not comment on ongoing personnel issues and was unable to forward inquiries to the HR Administration, which did not respond initially. The Department of Commerce, which oversees NOAA, also did not reply.

Following NBC News’s inquiry about the problems at NOAA’s Media Affairs group, probationary employees received an acknowledgment from their representatives about potential errors.

“Our office is aware that you may have received a debt notice from the National Finance Center (NFC),” read an email sent to a probationary employee. “Please be assured that we are collaborating with the NFC to address this matter. No action is required from you at this moment. We will provide further information and updates.”

In February, the Department of Commerce terminated over 600 probationary employees at NOAA, including hurricane hunters, meteorologists, and storm modelers. Probationary employees typically serve their first or second year in a new position at the agency.

In mid-March, a judge ordered many of these employees reinstated, prompting NOAA to place them on administrative leave. However, in early April, the Supreme Court temporarily halted some of these reinstatements, leading to a second dismissal of the employees.

A former employee stated that the chaotic process of hiring and firing has resulted in documentation errors and confusion, leaving them unable to obtain answers from the agency.

Sabrina Valenti, a former budget analyst at NOAA, expressed concern that she has not yet received her separation paperwork from the agency.

“It has been four months since my termination, and there is no record acknowledging it,” she stated.

Additionally, the employees reported not having access to the health benefits that should have been available during their reinstatement period. Seid-Green underwent surgery in April while on administrative leave.

“We were receiving salaries during administrative leave, and our health insurance contributions were deducted,” she mentioned.

After her surgery, Seid-Green discovered that her health insurance had lapsed.

She subsequently applied to continue her temporary compensation, a program that allows government employees to retroactively cover their health benefits. However, that has also not been successful.

Seid-Green remarked that this effectively means she has been billed twice for health insurance she has not received.

“I’ve received letters demanding over $14,000 for the surgery,” she shared. “Not only did they fail to provide the compensation we were owed, but now they are sending us debt notices for benefits we never received.”

Tim White House, executive director of the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting environmental workers and monitoring administrative issues, stated that these errors reflect deeper leadership failures within the agency.

“They are inflicting emotional and financial burdens on these employees. The Department of Commerce is at fault. Other agencies have resolved these issues, while they remain persistent in this department,” he concluded.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

NOAA helps rehired workers bounce back, raising questions amid storm chaos

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This week, workers at the National Marine and Atmospheric Administration faced a sudden change as the federal government attempted to reinstate probationary workers who were previously fired.

Over 600 NOAA workers, including important public safety roles like scientists issuing tsunami alerts, hurricane hunting flight directors, and local forecast office meteorologists, were let go over two weeks ago.

However, a US district judge in Maryland issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday, halting the firing of tens of thousands of workers within the agency and ordering their reinstatement. The Trump administration informed the court on Monday that they were working to reinstate about 24,000 probationary workers affected by widespread layoffs in the federal workforce. (Probationary workers are typically those in their first or second year of federal service, but this status also applies to some promoted employees or former contractors who were hired as full-time employees.)

The Commerce Department confirmed in a court filing that 791 workers, including NOAA employees, had been reinstated across the agency.

The reinstatement process has caused further confusion at NOAA, which had already halted some services due to staffing issues post-layoffs. This included significant disruptions like weather balloon launches in Albany, New York and Cotzevieu, Alaska, which are crucial for accurate weather predictions. Several offices were also closed by the agency.

The reinstatement news came just as a massive storm system swept across the nation, spawning tornadoes and claiming the lives of at least 42 people. NOAA’s National Weather Service division plays a key role in predicting and warning the public about dangerous weather events.

While probation workers at NOAA have technically been reinstated, they are currently on administrative leave and not being asked to return to work. It remains uncertain whether the services previously provided by these workers will be fully restored.

NOAA news agency has directed inquiries to the Department of Commerce, which has not responded to requests for comment.

A Hurricane Modeling Specialist named Andy Hazelton, who was fired last month despite having a PhD, received an email on Monday confirming his reinstatement following the court order.

The email stated, “You will be reinstated to federal service with your previous status, retroactive to the termination date, and placed on paid administrative leave until further action is taken by the court or department.”

Should the court’s order be overturned or the Commerce Department prevail in court, details about potentially reverting to the termination date are unclear.

Hazelton mentioned that he had not received further communication as of Monday and remained hopeful about receiving back pay or eventually resuming his duties.

While the email provided temporary relief, uncertainty remains as rumors persist about further reductions in the NOAA workforce through workforce reduction or Reduction in Force (RIF) measures.

Jaszka, 49, who previously worked as an investigative assistance technician for NOAA law enforcement before being fired, shared similar sentiments.

She expressed frustration at the perception of government workers as a drain on taxpayer resources, fueled by the notion that they are not performing their duties effectively.

Jaszka highlighted the irony of the situation, where government employees were being paid not to work despite their passion for fulfilling NOAA’s mission.

In a court filing, the Commerce Department stated that employees would not be required to return to full duty obligations immediately.

The department is prepared to reinstate all necessary administrative procedures if needed, such as training completion, personnel documentation, badge reissuance, benefit enrollment, and salary restoration.

Source: www.nbcnews.com