Release Date: March 20, 2025
Media Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@********ps.org, 202-758-3936
Reinstatement of Probationary Employees is Welcome News, but Grave Concerns Linger
Following a series of court orders, including a ruling in the Coalition’s joint lawsuit against the Office of Personnel Management for the illegal firing of probationary-status employees, the National Park Service (NPS) began reinstating wrongly terminated federal employees.
“While we welcome some relief for these employees who were wrongfully fired, we still have very grave concerns about the future of all our NPS employees, as well as the state of our National Park System,” said
Phil Francis, Chair of the Executive Council of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks.
“The positions that were terminated are all critical to the protection of our national parks. Firing and rehiring high-performing federal employees has caused unnecessary confusion and been an incredible waste of time and money. It is also consuming the time of Human Resources personnel and further delaying seasonal hiring.
Already, national parks are looking at massive delays or a bare minimum of services, and we know this Administration is planning on further cuts. This needs to stop. Our national parks are at risk, and we must ensure parks and program offices are sufficiently staffed and funded so we can keep our parks healthy. Otherwise, we continue to jeopardize the protection of irreplaceable resources, the health of local and regional economies, and the ability of the American people to visit their beloved national parks”
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The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks represents over 3,700 current, former, and retired employees and volunteers of the National Park Service, with over 50,000 collective years of stewardship of America’s most precious natural and cultural resources. Recognized as the Voices of Experience, the Coalition educates, speaks, and acts for the preservation and protection of the National Park System, and mission-related programs of the National Park Service. More information can be found at https://protectnps.org