Department of Education Begins Hiring Contractors to Replace Office for Civil Rights Attorneys

After firing several hundred employees as part of a reduction in force at the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the Department of Education is now working with an outside contractor, Kaiva Tech, to hire new attorneys to address OCR's growing backlog of cases. Although the Department of Education rescinded the reduction in force notices sent to OCR employees in December 2025, not all of the employees opted to return to work. According to a Department spokesperson, the decision to hire contract attorneys is part of an effort to prioritize resolution of outstanding cases.