Pentagon plans to lay off 5,400 civilian employees

KABUL (Pajhwok): In a move to downsize the federal workforce, the US Defense Department plans to fire 5,400 employees next week, says a Pentagon official.

Reuters quoted a top pentagon official as saying the measure, which would be taken next week, was aimed to reduce the federal workforce.

Darin Selnick, a senior Defense Department official, said freezing the process for hiring workers could ultimately cut the 950,000-strong civilian workforce of the Pentagon by 5 to 8 percent.

aw/mud