Key points
- Employees’ stuff will be stashed in a government warehouse if not collected: USAID website
- Trump administration has announced closing USAID
- The drive to affect 1,600 USAID officials in the US
WASHINGTON: Fired US Agency for International Development (USAID) employees will be “escorted” to their desks and have “15 minutes” to collect personal belongings from the gutted agency’s Washington headquarters later this week, according to US media reports.
The US media cited a notice from the USAID website, which posted the “specific instructions” former staffers must follow in order to retrieve personal effects from the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, DC.
The agency also warned ex-employees that if they don’t show up during assigned timeslots on Thursday or Friday, or designate a staffer to retrieve their belongings, their stuff will be stashed in a government warehouse and could be damaged or lost.
“Staff will be given approximately 15 minutes to complete this retrieval and must be finished removing items within their time slot only,” the agency said.
“Prohibited items”
USAID noted that “security guards or members of law enforcement” will be present and warned former staffers not to bring “prohibited items,” such as weapons, with them for the pickup.
“If staff are unable to retrieve their items, and do not wish to have another staff member retrieve items in their absence, personal items will be packed by GSA and sent to a warehouse for collection at a later date and time. GSA cannot guarantee that personal items not claimed during this time will be free from damage or loss, but will take all precautionary measures to safeguard items,” according to New York Post.
READ ALSO: White House Fires USAID Inspector General
Last week, several former USAID employees were seen removing their belongings from a different agency office in Washington.
The Trump administration – in a move led by billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency – has worked to shutter USAID over allegations that it has wasted taxpayer money.
On Sunday, USAID moved to “implement a Reduction-in-Force that will affect approximately 1,600 USAID personnel” in the US.
The Trump administration is seeking to house the remaining core functions of the agency within the State Department, according to US media.
Keywords: USAID Employees, Trump administration, Elon Musk, Department of Government Efficiency
