Federal workers who were fired then rehired describe uncertainty over jobs, confusing transition: "What a mess"
Source: CBS News
April 3, 2025 / 3:36 PM EDT
It has been three weeks since courts ordered the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of probationary workers it terminated in a flurry of mass cuts across the federal government. Many of the workers — already off-boarded, locked out of their offices and disconnected from emails when the rulings came down — have yet to return to their jobs.
While they wait to learn their fate, many probationary employees appear to have been left in the dark, with some saying they face daily uncertainty made worse by limited and confusing communications about their benefits and positions. Others have found new employment and are moving on from the civil service, after career whiplash under Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.
"I'm hoping I get my job back, but it doesn't seem that way," said one probationary worker who was fired from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and rehired because of a court mandate.
The employee, who asked not to be named while his job status remained in flux, said he worries for his future and his family's financial stability, as lawsuits that could decide his long-term employment continue to unfold. Originally dismissed in February while approaching the halfway point of a two-year work probation, he received his termination letter on the same day he was scheduled to start paid parental leave for the birth of his second child.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-workers-fired-rehired-job-uncertainty-confusing/
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(something that was put into law after 9/11 with the Homeland Security Act)
Access to buildings and computers is done through a chip on that card (which also includes the employee's biometric info - i.e., finger-prints). The info is in a database so I expect there is a field in there somewhere that can be selected to deactivate/reactivate the card.
I just know when I retired, I handed in my PIV card (and also had a separate building access card) and the Admin guy did whatever it was he does with them.
Systems. Online, apps, email, etc. 
I had a PIV card but I still had to jump through hoops to get into everything....
the ones that didn't have a slot, I used an USB attached device
always kills me when I see people depicted working from home and literally they are using just ONE laptop
for mainframe ops I had at least two laptops, four monitors, printer, etc
they included a separate USB "card reader" thingy. But they eventually got us newer ones that had the slot built in.
When they bought the laptops, they also came with docks that would plug into our IP desk phones, with all of it run on the network (using RJ45 to a wall jack). At home, we didn't need to haul the dock back and forth (thank goodness).
That is what I had my handy dandy ipad for!
Plus since I had (and still have) a bunch of machines at home for hobby stuff (including Linux boxen), there was no need. I used to run SETI@Home on about 10 machines at one time in the past (and did some Folding@Home) with a team.