Federal Judges Rule to Temporarily Reinstate Probationary Employees Laid Off by Trump Administration
Two federal judges have ordered the temporary reinstatement of thousands of probationary employees laid off by the Trump administration, citing illegal mass firings.
Many of these cuts were made under the recommendations of the White House's DOGE office, which has spearheaded President Donald Trump's effort to reduce the federal workforce.
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Bredar then noted that these mass terminations, without notice and with the government’s reasoning for the layoffs, violated the law.
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Probationary workers have been targeted for layoffs across the federal government because they're usually new to the job and lack full civil service protection.
Second judge orders Trump admin to rehire probationary workers let go in mass firings
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The states contend the Trump administration blindsided them by ignoring laws set out for large-scale layoffs, which already are having an impact on state governments as they try to help the suddenly jobless.
Second federal judge orders Trump administration to rehire fired probationary government workers
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The upshot of Bredar’s ruling, as he acknowledged at a hearing Tuesday, is that the administration would be allowed to lay off the employees en masse if it went through the proper RIF procedures, including the advance notice.
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Bredar noted it's the government's prerogative to shift thousands of people out of federal employment and do it quickly, but they can't break the law while doing so.
A 2nd judge orders thousands of fired federal employees temporarily reinstated
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Bredar acknowledged the impact of his order amid the government's dismissal of about 200,000 probationary employees — workers who are either recent hires or had taken new positions — since President Donald Trump took office in January.
Second judge orders thousands of probationary employees fired by Trump to be reinstated
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Like the California case, Bredar did not rule that the Trump administration is not able to conduct mass firings; rather, the administration just needs to provide advanced notice when it conducts a reduction in force.
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The Trump Administration will immediately fight back against this absurd and unconstitutional order.
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Summary
Two federal judges have issued temporary restraining orders to reinstate thousands of probationary employees fired by the Trump administration for not following legal procedures. Judge James Bredar's ruling applies to 18 agencies, while Judge William Alsup's earlier decision covered six. Both judges criticized the administration's rationale for the widespread layoffs, emphasizing that these terminations were not due to individual performance issues. The orders come amid a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic attorneys general challenging the legality of the mass firings, as the Trump administration argues it had the right to dismiss probationary employees without prior notice.
Perspectives
A federal judge in Maryland has temporarily blocked mass firings of probationary federal workers, ordering the reinstatement of thousands of employees as litigation proceeds against the Trump administration's actions.
U.S. District Judge James Bredar's ruling, supported by a lawsuit from 19 states, emphasizes that the administration did not comply with legal requirements for mass layoffs, including failing to provide advance notice of terminations.
The second judge's ruling in one day highlights ongoing judicial scrutiny of the Trump administration's approach to federal workforce reductions, which critics argue undermines due process and harms workers and state economies.
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