Workers from the Education Department who were laid off are coming back to address the backlog of civil rights cases.

WASHINGTON (AP) Dozens of staff members from the Education Department, who were previously at risk of being laid off, are being reinstated to assist with a growing backlog of civil rights complaints from students and families. These employees had been placed on administrative leave during the ongoing legal battles surrounding layoffs in the department's Office for Civil Rights, which is responsible for addressing potential discrimination in schools and colleges across the country. However, in a letter sent on Friday, officials announced that the workers would return to their duties on December 15 to help address the backlog of civil rights cases.

A spokesperson for the department confirmed the move, noting that the government still intended to proceed with layoffs in order to reduce the size of the department. "The Department will continue to pursue legal action related to the ongoing litigation regarding the Reductions in Force, but in the interim, it will utilize all employees currently funded by American taxpayers," said Julie Hartman in a statement.

In the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press, officials emphasized the urgent need for all staff in the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to focus on clearing the existing caseload of complaints. The office is responsible for handling a wide range of complaints, including allegations of disability discrimination and racial bias. When the Trump administration took office in January, the OCR had a backlog of about 20,000 cases. Since then, the backlog has grown to more than 25,000, due to a significant reduction in staff. The legal challenges to the layoffs have prevented the department from moving forward with many of the cuts, which have been tied up in court since March.

Although an appeals court cleared the way for the layoffs in September, they are currently on hold because of a separate lawsuit. The Education Department's workforce has been reduced from 4,100 employees when President Trump took office to approximately half that number today, as part of efforts to streamline the agency. The department did not specify how many workers would be returning to their positions, though some employees who had been on administrative leave for months have already left the agency.

The Office for Civil Rights plays a key role in enforcing civil rights laws in education, including those prohibiting discrimination based on race, sex, disability, and religion. The office investigates complaints from students across the country and can impose penalties, including withholding federal funding, on schools and colleges found to be in violation of these laws. However, most cases are resolved through voluntary agreements rather than formal sanctions. Critics, including former employees, have voiced concerns that the office will be unable to address the current backlog of cases with the diminished staffing levels resulting from the layoffs.

Families who have filed discrimination complaints have reported delays in receiving updates on their cases, with some waiting months without any response from the department. Despite the increasing number of complaints, officials in the Trump administration have defended the layoffs, claiming that the Office for Civil Rights was inefficient even with its full complement of staff.

Author: Maya Henderson