CFPB workers are reinstated after a court order, but many cannot work yet

Employees finished in the Office of Financial Protection of the Consumer (CFPB) have been returned to work in response to the order of a judge, more or less.

Test employees (a class of government workers who are newer in an agency or role) received letters during the weekend noticing them that were reinstated in their positions, After a court order Require that the CFPB and 17 other agencies restore these employees. The CFPB ended 117 test employees between February 11 and 13, and restored them from Monday afternoon, according to a Presentation of the recent court Of the Interim Human Capital Director of the Agency, Adam Martínez. But all these workers were “immediately placed in the state of administrative license, while the CFPB continues to act to comply with the tro (temporary restriction order) and/or employees must be assigned by the administration/supervisors,” Martínez wrote. In all agencies, Almost 25,000 employees in total probation He had been fired and are being reinstated under the order.

That means at least for now, many CFPB employees who have been reinstated, however, have not returned to work. In a copy of a reinstatement notice seen by The edgeAn employee was informed that while his responsibilities and compensation had been restored, they were still in Administrative license until you are indicated otherwise. Presumably, this means that they are still paid, but they are excused from their duties, although it is not clear what their “responsibilities” are restored. According to the letter, employees will receive a setback from the date of their termination, and the official personnel file will not have a registration of the termination. The letter does not ask directly if the employees want to return to work, although Adam Martínez, the director of interim human capital who sent the notices, wrote that he would appreciate a recognition of receipt.

The CFPB headquarters is still closed. Some reinstalled employees still need to obtain their access to the systems and even the team that return them to do their job, but they have been told that the Human Resources Guide is pending on how it will work.

A union that represents CFPB employees has been arguing in a separate judicial case that the Trump administration is trying to illegally reducing the agency, which had around 1,700 employees before the cuts. Martínez testified in the Federal Court last week about the terrifying week that Doge appeared in the agency, but also said that the new leadership of the agency's action is more measured, in his words, “there is hope.” However, a CFPB employee designated to lead the team in charge of the massive shots, testified about the alleged administration plans to finish 1,200 employees and close the agency, and that there had been no changes in the plans even after the judge had previously ordered a pause in more shots.

Updated on March 18, 2025: The number of workers restored in the CFPB was added as declared in a new judicial presentation.