Returning to Duty: Civil Rights Workforce to Resume Next Month, According to Education Department
The U.S. Department of Education has announced that civil rights staff will begin returning to work in September, marking a significant step towards the reinstatement of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) team. This decision comes two months after a federal judge ordered the agency to bring the staff back, following concerns about the OCR's ability to keep up with its workload.
The reinstatement schedule, which runs through early November, is divided into five waves. The first wave of reinstatements was revealed in a filing submitted to a Massachusetts federal court on Tuesday. Approximately 25 employees from the OCR are scheduled to return starting on September 8.
The judge, in denying the Education Department's request to set aside his order, said the agency had not "substantially complied" with the directive to bring staff back. The Education Department argues that it has been able to keep up with the flow of complaints and investigations, but civil rights advocates and current and former staff have expressed concerns about the reduced workforce.
Before the March layoffs, the OCR had about 560 employees and 12 regional offices. In addition to the layoffs of more than 260 staffers from the division, the Education Department closed seven of its regional offices. As of now, there are no publicly available names of the 264 OCR employees who are to be rehired in September and later in the year.
The OCR, which investigates cases of discrimination in schools and universities, was one of the hardest-hit divisions in the March downsizing. Since March 11, the Education Department has received 7,231 complaints and resolved more than 500. In fiscal 2024, the OCR saw a record number of complaints: 22,687. The office resolved at least 15,250 cases in that year, according to its report.
The reinstatement order is specifically related to the Office for Civil Rights. Derek Black, a professor of law at the University of South Carolina, has expressed concern about whether the OCR is protecting students effectively with its current workforce. The department's plan involves reinstating the 264 employees who were part of a March reduction in force.
This news brings relief to those who have been worried about the OCR's ability to address the high volume of complaints and investigations. The return of the staff is a positive step towards ensuring that the OCR can continue its important work in protecting the civil rights of students in schools and universities across the country.
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