U.S. National Parks Can Bring Back 1,000 Fired Employees
Skift Take
Key Points
- The National Park Service is reinstating 1,000 probationary employees who were terminated, following a court order.
- The reinstated staff will receive back pay, although there are concerns about how many will return.
- The National Park Service had a record 331.9 million visitors in 2024 but was advised not to publicize the data.
Summary
The U.S. National Park Service is reinstating 1,000 previously terminated probationary employees, including rangers and law enforcement officers, following a court order. These employees will receive back pay, but there are concerns about staff returning and the management of the parks amidst high visitor numbers. Despite a record 331.9 million visitors in 2024, the agency was instructed not to publicize these figures.
The National Park Service has been authorized to fully reinstate 1,000 previously terminated probationary employees at parks across the country, following recent court orders.
The employees terminated on February 14 included rangers, law enforcement officers, and firefighters. Staff who opt for reinstatement will be able to return to work and will receive back pay.
In a statement, the Department of the Interior said: "In compliance with court orders, the Department of the Interior is reinstating these employees. All impacted employees will receive back pay, and the Department will ensure continued compensation as the White House pursues its appeals process."
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) said it still has concerns.
“This chaotic whiplash is no way to manage the National Park Service, especially as they are welcoming millions of visitors right now," said Theresa Pierno, the CEO of NPCA, in a statement. "This administration needs to stop playing games with the future of our national parks.”
Pierno added: “There’s a lot of uncertainty about how many staff will decide to come back."
Why it Matters: Skift recently reported that the National Park Service had a record-setting 331.9 million visits in 2024, according to data posted publicly on its website.
The NPS website says visitors in 2024 were up 2% from 2023. The previous record was set in 2016 with just shy of 331 million visits.
The most visited parks were: Great Smoky Mountains National park in North Carolina and Tennessee (12.1 million visits); Zion National Park in Utah (4.9 million visits); and Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona (4.9 million visits).
The agency had been instructed, through an internal memo, not to publicize the high levels of visitors, The New York Times reported.
"Parks can publish final data on their website after if it is that is the park's standard process… but should not issue a press release or other proactive communications, including social media posts," the memo states.
Photo Credit: National Parks are being "loved to death" and solutions are urgently needed to manage, disperse and educate crowds while increasing access for all. Flickr Commons / National Park Service
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