Judge Finds Mass Firings Of Federal Probationary Workers Were Likely Unlawful

By Janie Har\AP News

Photos: YouTube Screenshots

A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful, granting temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has sued to stop the Trump administration’s massive dismantling of the federal workforce. Read more.

Why this matters:

    U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the Office of Personnel Management to inform certain federal agencies that it had no authority to order the firings of probationary employees, including at the Department of Defense.

    Lawyers for the government agree that the office has no authority to hire or fire employees in other agencies. But they said the Office of Personnel Management asked agencies to review and determine whether employees on probation were fit for continued employment.

    Attorneys for the coalition cheered the order, although it does not mean that fired employees will automatically be rehired or that future firings will not occur.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

Hundreds of weather forecasters fired in latest wave of DOGE cuts Social Security Administration could cut up to 50% of its workforce Former defense chiefs call for congressional hearings on Trump’s firing of senior military leaders  EPA backtracks on Trump comment about cutting staff by 65%  Where are federal jobs affected by DOGE cuts? A look at congressional districts across the US  The CFPB drops its enforcement lawsuits against Capital One, Rocket Homes and more  Congress votes to kill Biden-era methane fee on oil and gas producers  Refugee aid groups say Trump administration is trying to circumvent court order A good rapport but mixed signals on Ukraine: Takeaways from Keir Starmer’s trip to Washington Trump’s permanent USAID cuts slam humanitarian programs worldwide Florida ups the stakes for crimes by immigrants in the US illegally An economic blackout protest is encouraging US residents not to spend any money today Attorney General Pam Bondi releases new Jeffrey Epstein files