The Education Department has ordered previously laid‑off Office for Civil Rights staff back to work to address a swelling complaint backlog, even as the department continues to pursue litigation over its layoffs. The move affects hundreds of OCR employees who had been on administrative leave after a Trump‑era reduction‑in‑force and follows reports the office’s caseload has climbed above 25,000. Department spokespeople say the returning staff will prioritize OCR’s existing complaint inventory; unions and civil‑rights advocates criticized the administration for sidelining experts while cases accumulated. The development creates operational continuity but leaves unresolved legal questions about the underlying staffing reductions and the agency’s longer‑term enforcement capacity.