NASA Is Laying Off More Than 300 U.S. Employees: Here’s Why

Inside NASA there is a Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California that employs thousands of people.

In one sensational announcement this week, NASA said it will lay off 5 percent of that workforce, or about 325 employees.

Laurie Leshin, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said, “While we have taken several actions to meet our current FY’25 budget allocation, we have made the difficult decision to reduce JPL’s workforce through layoffs. “

NASA also says that they have lower budgets, that they have some big projects on the horizon and that the cuts are needed to push them to 2025 and beyond.

If you might think this was a one-time tough decision NASA has had to make lately, you’re wrong. They have already made a number of other mass layoffs in 2024.

Earlier this year the NASA JPL fired approximately 8 percent of the workforce, approximately 530 employees.

With that in mind, Leshin also says, “I know the absence of our colleagues will be acutely felt, especially after a very challenging year for the Lab. To those who are leaving JPL as a result of this action, we are grateful for your many crucial contributions to JPL and NASA.”

It is unknown if the employees who will be affected will be offered other positions within the agency, or even if they will be offered.

This just goes to show you that with all the layoffs and… closures What is happening here in America means that no one is safe from the consequences of austerity.