At least 55 Education Department workers received an email Friday saying they were being put on paid leave effective immediately pursuant to Trump's executive order. It wasn’t being done for “any disciplinary purpose,” according to a copy of the email obtained by The Associated Press.
Those placed on leave lost access to their government email accounts and were told not to report to the office. They include a range of staff members and managers across the department, which employs more than 4,000 workers in Washington and regional offices across the country.
Most of those on leave appear to have taken a voluntary diversity training seminar offered by the department, Smith said. The Diversity Change Agent program has been promoted by the agency for years, including during Trump’s first term in office.