From CNN: FEMA halts terminations of disaster workers as agency prepares for massive winter storm

“The Federal Emergency Management Agency has abruptly halted ongoing terminations of hundreds of disaster workers as the agency prepares for an enormous winter storm expected to pound a large swath of the country in the coming days.

In an email Thursday afternoon, obtained by CNN, staff were told that FEMA would “cease offboarding” disaster workers whose employment contracts are expiring in the days ahead — a practice that had been ongoing since the start of January.

Two sources familiar with the decision said the looming storm was a significant factor in the sudden pause, though Homeland Security officials have been quietly grappling with the fate of these workers for weeks.

It is unclear how long the pause in dismissals will last.”