NTEU Pushes Back Against CFPB Workforce Reduction Plan
The National Treasury Employees’ Union (NTEU) has raised objections to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) latest workforce reduction plan, calling it unnecessary to impose an artificial deadline for consideration.
In a filing to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the NTEU argued against the CFPB’s request for a 45-day window of consideration, stating that there is no emergency warranting such a deadline.
NTEU Criticizes CFPB’s Approach
The NTEU pointed out that the CFPB’s latest workforce reduction plan, shared with the appeals court on March 31, comes after a district judge issued a preliminary injunction over a year ago, preventing the bureau from enacting job cuts.
The NTEU emphasized that there is no emergency situation that would require expedited proceedings, and criticized the CFPB for attempting to circumvent the district court by styling their request as a motion to modify the appeals court’s order.
CFPB Faces Lease Termination
In a separate development, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency terminated the lease for the CFPB’s Washington headquarters, transferring the property to the General Services Administration. The lease termination occurred six years earlier than planned, with the transfer taking place in February.
The Comptroller of the Currency cited “costs and risks” associated with managing the property as reasons for the lease termination, indicating that being the CFPB’s landlord did not align with the OCC’s mission.
The original lease required the CFPB to pay rent to the OCC, with the February transfer to the GSA occurring at no cost. The specifics of future rent payments to the GSA remain unclear.
