FEMA employees reinstated following suspension and inquiry into letter criticizing Trump’s agency overhaul

A group of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees has been allowed to return to work following a three-month leave and an inquiry into alleged misconduct tied to signing a letter to Congress. The letter criticized the Trump administrations restructuring of FEMA and warned it could jeopardize American lives.

According to multiple sources and internal emails reviewed by CNN, over a dozen employees received notices last week confirming their reinstatement. One internal email stated: The misconduct investigation has been closed, and as a result you are being removed from Administrative Leave. Some employees have already resumed their duties, while others are expected to rejoin their teams in the coming days.

Virginia Case, a FEMA external affairs officer among those reinstated, expressed her relief: I was dumbfounded. I really did think we were going to get terminated.

The dispute began in August when more than 190 current and former FEMA officials signed what became known as the Katrina Declaration. The letter warned that the administrations plans to overhaul FEMA could put lives at risk, echoing concerns of a federal response failure similar to Hurricane Katrina. While most signers remained anonymous, a few staff members, including Case, publicly added their names. Within days, those employees were placed on paid leave.

A FEMA spokesperson previously said: Change is always hard. It is especially hard for those invested in the status quo, who have forgotten that their duty is to the American people, not entrenched bureaucracy.

In September, FEMA launched formal misconduct investigations and interviewed the outspoken employees. Earlier in the summer, the Trump administration had suspended or dismissed over 100 Environmental Protection Agency staff for similar acts of dissent.

In mid-November, one FEMA employee initially received a termination notice, while others remained under review. After appealing, that employee was among those cleared to return to work, according to multiple sources.

David Seide, senior counsel for the Government Accountability Project, which represents some of the workers, said FEMA informed an employee that agency lawyers concluded signing the letter was protected under whistleblower laws. Another reinstated employee received a message noting that although they didnt abide by policy, they were still protected by the whistleblower act.

Seide highlighted the case's significance: It reaffirms that it is unlawful to retaliate against federal employees exercising free speech and whistleblower rights by dissenting against agency policies.

Despite their reinstatement, some staffers remain concerned about potential retaliation. Abby McIlraith, a FEMA emergency management specialist, said: I dont think that its over yet. I think its still an evolving situation. But I know that I didnt do anything wrong, so I feel pretty vindicated and happy to be back and be able to see my co-workers and do my job again.

Case, who returned on Wednesday, had considered resigning to avoid being blacklisted from federal service. She said: We were willing to put our jobs on the line for our values. Im grateful that were able to go back and continue supporting these communities and these survivors.

Author: Sophia Brooks