Fired USAID employees given 15 minutes to retrieve belongings from office

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has recently provided detailed instructions on its website for employees who have been fired or placed on administrative leave to retrieve their personal belongings from their offices inside the Ronald Reagan Building. The agency has allocated two days, Thursday, Feb. 27, and Friday, Feb. 28, for employees to enter the building during designated time slots to collect their items. Each time slot ranges from 60 to 90 minutes, with employees having approximately 15 minutes to retrieve their belongings.

According to the instructions, employees must bring their own containers and supplies to pack up their personal items. They are required to complete the retrieval within their designated time slot and acknowledge receipt of their belongings before leaving the building. Additionally, they must confirm that they do not have any physical or electronic government records with them.

If employees are unable to make their assigned time slot, only a designated alternate staff member with proper credentials will be allowed to retrieve their belongings. Any personal items that are not collected will be packed up by the General Services Administration and sent to a warehouse for later collection.

The reduction in force at USAID came after the Trump administration placed nearly 1,600 employees on administrative leave globally, leaving only around 300 staff members at the agency. This decision was made following a review by the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, which found that USAID had spent millions on funding questionable programs and initiatives worldwide.

Examples of questionable spending included $20 million for a Sesame Street show in Iraq, over $900,000 to a Gaza-based charity with alleged ties to terrorism, and $1.5 million for a diversity and inclusion program in Serbia. These findings led to significant cuts in staffing and a focus on mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specially designated programs at USAID.

Overall, the process of retrieving personal belongings from the Ronald Reagan Building serves as a reminder of the changes and challenges faced by USAID employees in the wake of the recent administrative actions.