The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has reduced approximately 5% of its staff today while the Trump administration is continuing its efforts to undermine the federal workforce.
Francis Tarasiewicz, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service based in the Rhode Island, said that he had received an email “pre-spacealized” this afternoon, informing him that he had been dismissed and saying that his performance had not met expectations.
“The most difficult part for me is that it is my first month in the weather service and I had a meeting with my supervisor today, and he just told me how good I was,” said Tarasiewicz, adding that it took about six months to be hired. “To see him on an email and that I was dismissed for poor performances an hour after saying that the full opposite was confusing and frustrating.”
Tarasiewicz said that he had started working at 5:30 am and had worked on four to seven forecasts and airport forecasts, collected meteorological reports across the Northeast and informed emergencies management on weather conditions.
“I’m going to have done a little,” said Tarasiewicz, adding that he loved his work and his colleagues.
A news agent from the NAAA said that the agency would not comment on layoffs.
“Depending on the longtime practice, we are not discussing internal staff and management issues. The NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing information, research and resources that serve the American public and ensure the environmental and economic resilience of our country, “wrote Susan Buchanan, an official of public affairs of the National Weather Service. “We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings in accordance with our public security mission.”
An administration official said that around 5% of the staff had been released and that the administration had led an “extensive process” to guarantee the “critical functions of the mission” were not compromised.
Senator Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Said that dismissals would leave the nation less prepared for extreme weather conditions.
“Local offices compromise our ability to predict and react to extreme weather events such as hurricanes, forest fires and floods – going beyond communities. They also threaten our maritime trade and endanger 1.7 million jobs that depend on commercial, recreational and tribal fishing, including thousands in Washington, “Cantwell said in a press release.