USAID Official Who Signed Mass Terminations Had No HR Record, Emails Show: Why Paperwork Matters
A new report from WIRED raises a pointed question about the USAID terminations: how did an official sign the letter ending the employment of thousands of career staff when, according to internal emails, the agency’s own systems had no record of him as an employee? Here is what was reported, what is still contested, and why appointment paperwork matters to federal employees.
What WIRED Reported
Molly Knight Raskin’s reporting at WIRED, “A 28-Year-Old DOGE Operative Gutted USAID. HR Had No Record of Him Working There,” draws on internal USAID emails. According to that reporting, more than a week after Jeremy Lewin took the reins at USAID, the agency’s security office could not issue him an ID card because its database had no record of him as an employee.
The Timeline
March 18, 2025: A federal judge rules that DOGE’s temporary hires likely lack authority for sweeping actions. The same day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio hands the reins at USAID to Lewin, a 28-year-old DOGE affiliate.
Eight days in: The emails show Lewin had still not filed his OF-306, the form new employees complete before their first day. Security could not issue him a badge because he was not in the system. One HR executive described him as “the equivalent of an administrative ghost.”
March 28, 2025: The government gets that ruling paused, arguing that these are decisions made by Lewin as a federally appointed official. That same day, he signs the letter terminating all remaining USAID staff, thousands of career civil service and Foreign Service employees, and shuts down all 60 of USAID’s overseas missions.
What Is Still Disputed
Lewin says he was properly appointed and that HR was briefly confused. Questions about how he obtained that authority are still part of active lawsuits, and nothing is final yet.
Why Appointment Paperwork Matters
Appointment paperwork can look like red tape, but it is how the law decides who has the authority to act, including who can take an action that ends someone’s federal career. Whether this is a paperwork problem or an authority problem is exactly what the litigation is testing.
Learn More About the Legal Fight
The question of who protects the worker, and how, is the title of a panel Shaun Southworth joined last month with two former USAID Administrators, a congressman, and Kevin Byrnes, an attorney representing various USAID employees. You can watch the panel and support the USAID Employee Support Fund, which helps fund the legal case, at usaidemployeefund.org/event.
Legal Disclaimer: This content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Federal employment situations are fact-specific and time-sensitive. Please consult a qualified federal employment attorney about your specific situation. You can contact Southworth PC at attorneysforfederalemployees.com.