Employees of the U.S. Department of Education were abruptly instructed to vacate all department offices by 6:00 pm in an email sent by the Office of Security, Facilities, and Logistics, advising staff to work from home the following day. The email provided vague reasoning, citing “security reasons,” and stated that offices would reopen on Thursday. This unexpected directive, shared with NPR by concerned employees who wished to remain anonymous, added to existing unease among staff anticipating significant personnel reductions under the Trump administration’s reorganization plans. Agency heads are slated to submit their reorganization proposals to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management this Thursday, as outlined in a guidance memo urging substantial workforce reductions through attrition and position eliminations. The impact of these measures is already evident, with approximately 75 department employees placed on paid administrative leave, excluding managers, supervisors, and newer probationary staff who have faced terminations. Despite these developments, the Education Department has not provided an official tally of affected employees. The situation underscores the ongoing uncertainty and challenges faced by staff within the department amid organizational changes and workforce restructuring initiatives.