Filip Timotija 

 Journalists at Voice of America (VOA) were put on administrative leave on Saturday, a day after President Trump signed an executive order aimed at eliminating the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), VOA’s parent company.   Reporters at VOA were placed on “administrative leave with full pay and benefits until otherwise notified,” according to a copy of an internal memo that was obtained by The Hill, adding that it is “not being done for any disciplinary purpose.”    The memo was sent out by the human resources executive from USAGM on Saturday morning. The total number of recipients is unclear, but one source familiar with the matter told The Hill that “most” VOA employees were put on administrative leave.   VOA workers were instructed not to enter their work premises or access USAGM internal systems without permission from the human resources executive or “prior” permission from their supervisors.   The two-page memo, that was sent just past 9:40 a.m. local time Saturday, came after Trump penned an executive order to gut seven federal agencies, including USAGM, telling them to “reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel.”

  “This order continues the reduction in the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary,” the order said.   Up Next - Canadian reporters grill Rubio over Trump's 51st state talk      Apart from USAGM, Trump’s order included the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and the Minority Business Development Agency.   Sign up for the Morning Report The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox.  Email address By signing up, I agree to the Terms of Use, have reviewed the Privacy Policy, and to receive personalized offers and communications via email, on-site notifications, and targeted advertising using my email address from The Hill, Nexstar Media Inc., and its affiliates  VOA’s workers were told that, if asked, they will be expected to “immediately” surrender their USAGM badge and press pass, “as well as any keys or other official government property, including documents, records, electronic and telephone devices, and other equipment.”  

 Employees were also told in the memo that they still have to be available by phone and email during business hours. Workers were instructed to provide their personal contact information — phone number, email address, and mailing address — by Monday to the department’s human resources departments.  VOA’s workers have to remain available to report for work if told so within one business day after being contacted. If unavailable to report for work, they were instructed to contact a human resources representative “so that your administrative leave can be changed to the appropriate leave category.”   The journalists will remain employees of USAGM while on administrative leave, according to the memo.