EPA places more than 160 environmental justice employees on paid leave

Employees in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights have been told they are being placed on paid administrative leave as the agency executes the Trump administration’s executive order to wipe out all program offices it deems as tied to diversity, equity and inclusion, multiple sources told CNN.

Employees in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights have been told they are being placed on paid administrative leave as the agency executes the Trump administration’s executive order to wipe out all program offices it deems as tied to diversity, equity and inclusion, multiple sources told CNN. More than 160 environmental justice employees at the EPA are impacted nationwide, according to an internal EPA email obtained by CNN and confirmed by employees who were on the agency call and have been affected, as well as three union sources. “This is the call we have all dreaded,” acting Assistant Administrator of the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights Theresa Segovia said on a recording of the call provided to CNN. Segovia said the agency placed on leave employees who had “performed 50% or greater duties in environmental justice or non statutory work.” She added employees will receive an email indicating they will be placed on paid administrative leave with full benefits on Thursday. Roughly 200 federal employees work in this division of the EPA. A federal district judge paused the Trump administration’s so-called buyout offer deadline earlier Thursday, and Segovia told the employees now placed on paid leave there was still time for them to take advantage of it.