Forest Service Layoffs Frozen Until FY 2026 Budget Passes, Securing Jobs for Hundreds of Federal Workers

The “Saving the Forest Service’s Workforce Act” is pretty straightforward: it hits the pause button on major staff cuts, known as a reduction in force (RIF), at the Forest Service. Essentially, the Secretary of Agriculture is barred from initiating any large-scale layoffs until Congress finally passes the full, official budget for fiscal year 2026. This is a big deal for the thousands of people who manage our national forests, fight wildfires, and conduct critical conservation work.

Job Security in an Uncertain Budget World

Think of this bill as a temporary but strong shield for Forest Service employees. In recent years, federal agencies have often faced budget uncertainty, continuing resolutions, or last-minute funding deals. These situations can lead to management considering RIFs just to keep the lights on. This bill takes that option off the table for the next couple of years (SEC. 2). For the average Forest Service employee—the park ranger, the forestry technician, the administrative staff—it means they don't have to worry about losing their job due to a political budget impasse or a short-term funding crunch. Their stability is essentially locked in for the near future, allowing them to focus on their mission instead of their mortgage.

The Fine Print: What’s Still Allowed

While the bill stops mass layoffs based on budget or reorganization, it doesn't grant anyone a free pass on performance. This is where the policy meets common sense. The Forest Service can still fire employees—whether they are in the competitive service, excepted service, or a career Senior Executive Service appointee—but only for documented, serious reasons like misconduct, poor performance, or delinquency (SEC. 2). So, if you’re doing your job well, you’re safe from budget cuts; if you’re not, the existing rules for adverse personnel actions (like those in Chapter 75 of Title 5, U.S. Code) still apply. This keeps essential accountability in place while preventing arbitrary, budget-driven job losses.

The Management Trade-Off

This moratorium is great news for the workforce, but it does tie the hands of Forest Service management. They lose the flexibility to conduct major organizational restructuring or downsize in response to financial pressures until the FY 2026 budget is enacted. While this ensures continuity and retains institutional knowledge—which is crucial when dealing with complex issues like wildfire management—it also means that if management identifies areas of genuine inefficiency or positions that truly need to be eliminated, they have to wait. This restriction on management’s discretion is the main trade-off of the bill, prioritizing workforce stability over immediate organizational flexibility in the face of budget uncertainty.