The Environmental Protection Agency notified more than 1,100 employees last week that they could be subjected to immediate firing, marking a major Trump administration effort to shrink the agency. 

Recently hired employees with “probation status” who have worked at the agency for less than a year received emails with the notification, said Kyla Bennett, director of science policy at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a nonprofit organization that supports government employees at environmental agencies.

The EPA emailed more than 1,100 employees across the agency, the New York Times reported.

Those who received the emails said they are “likely on a probationary/trial period,” but it is unclear how the agency is defining who has probation status because some employees were not aware they were on probation, Bennett said. 

The EPA did not respond for comment on the email. 

Last week’s email to EPA employees is one of many aimed at reducing the agency’s staffing.

The Trump administration has vowed to make significant changes across the government by making significant spending cuts and staff reductions. During Trump’s first term, the administration implemented a hiring freeze at the EPA.

“They want to shrink the size of the government regardless of how that will impact Americans, their health, and the environment,” Bennett said. 

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Last week, federal employees also received an email from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management with the subject line “Fork in the Road” offering incentives to resign.

Bennett stated that “everyone is advising employees not to take” the deal. She added that federal employees should “think very carefully before they take that deal because it might not come into fruition.”