On Sunday night, thousands of USAID staff were cut from what was once the world’s largest bilateral aid agency. Now, some of those staff have been terminated again — receiving a second email less than 48 hours after the first.
“This letter is to inform you that your employment with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been terminated, effective immediately,” stated one letter to a USAID staffer, which was obtained by Devex on Tuesday. “I am terminating you on the basis that it is in the best interest of the U.S. Government.”
The letter was sent by Kenneth Jackson, USAID’s assistant to the administrator for management and resources. The notice was “a final decision,” Jackson wrote, seemingly reversing a previous notice that would have given the staffer until April 24 to wrap up his work.
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
