Federal employees reeling from a wave of firings that began last week have focused on language in their termination letters targeting their “performance” as particularly upsetting.

USA TODAY reviewed 10 termination letters. All but one mentioned performance concerns.

Fired probationary employees interviewed by USA TODAY all said they were never told of any performance problems. One hadn’t been in the job long enough to have a performance review. Another was fired just a month into her job after relocating from more than 1,700 miles away to take it. And a third employee said his supervisor explicitly told him he wasn’t being terminated for performance reasons.

The performance language in the letters added insult to injury, the fired employees said, arguing it unfairly impugns their work records. Some worried the language could impact their ability to file for unemployment benefits and find a new job.

“It’s a lie. It’s simply not true,” said fired U.S. Forest Service worker Gavan Harmon.

More:‘Took away my hope.’ Federal workers say Trump mass firings upended their lives

President Donald Trump’s administration has launched an aggressive effort to cut federal agencies and completely shutter some. The push is being led by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which is headed by billionaire Elon Musk. The administration offered buyouts to nearly all federal workers and then began mass terminations targeting probationary employees who recently were hired.

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