FEMA disaster workers need Homeland Security secretary's approval to stay on job

Ellen M. Gilmer, Bloomberg News on Mar 22, 2025

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Most Federal Emergency Management Agency employees will need Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s approval to stay on the job after their current terms expire, paving the way for significant staffing reductions as President Donald Trump seeks to shrink federal agencies.

FEMA announced the policy change Friday, stipulating that all renewals and extensions of term positions are subject to the secretary’s approval, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg Government. That includes reservists, temporary full-time employees, local hires, and on-call response employees who make up the bulk of the disaster agency’s workforce.

The cuts follow Trump’s broader efforts to slash the federal workforce. He has targeted FEMA explicitly, saying the agency should be restructured or even eliminated following complaints about its response to recent disasters in North Carolina and California. He created a council in January to explore overhaul options and issued an executive order promoting greater state and local involvement in emergency management.

Friday’s memo, first reported by CBS News, leaves the fate of most FEMA workers in Noem‘s hands, as their employment terms reach expiration. Reservists and on-call workers made up nearly 80% of agency employees, as of fiscal 2022. Reservists deploy as needed for emergency management response and Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees are a separate category of workers who work directly on disaster response and recovery efforts.

The policy change includes exceptions for some positions, including fee-funded positions, emergency management specialists, attorneys, and human resources specialists. External hiring and onboarding of new FEMA employees, other than political officials, is on pause, according to the memo.

FEMA’s top political official earlier this week outlined plans to narrow the agency’s mission and possibly close regional offices.

DHS didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the policy change.