A federal judge has mandated that the Trump administration reinstate numerous probationary employees who were dismissed during mass layoffs last month, stating that the personnel office involved did not possess the necessary authority.
A federal judge has mandated that the Trump administration reinstate thousands of probationary employees who were dismissed in mass layoffs last month, citing that the personnel office involved lacked the necessary authority.
As reported by the Associated Press, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, and Treasury to swiftly reinstate those employees who were terminated around February 13 and 14, following directives from the Office of Personnel Management and its acting director, Charles Ezell.
Judge Alsup instructed the agencies to provide a report within seven days detailing the names of the probationary employees and outlining how each department has complied with his order.
This temporary restraining order was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of labor unions, as the Republican administration aims to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
Judge Alsup expressed his discontent with the government’s efforts to circumvent regulations governing workforce reductions by dismissing unprotected probationary employees. He criticized the rationale behind the terminations for poor performance, highlighting that many of those dismissed had received favorable evaluations just months earlier.
“It is unfortunate, a regrettable day, when our government would terminate competent employees and claim it was due to performance when they are fully aware that this is untrue,” he stated, as quoted by AP. “Such actions should not occur in our country,” he added.
Government attorneys argue that the mass dismissals were lawful, asserting that individual agencies assessed and determined the suitability of probationary employees for continued employment.
However, Judge Alsup expressed skepticism regarding this claim. He intended to conduct an evidentiary hearing on Thursday, but Ezell, the acting director of OPM, failed to appear for court testimony or even a deposition. The judge urged the government to consider an appeal.
There are approximately 200,000 probationary employees within federal agencies, encompassing both entry-level positions and individuals who have recently been promoted.
Approximately 15,000 individuals are employed in California, offering a variety of services that include fire prevention and care for veterans, as stated in the lawsuit brought forth by a coalition of labor unions and nonprofit organizations.
In their complaint, the plaintiffs asserted that several agencies notified employees that the personnel office had mandated the layoffs, instructing them to utilize a standard email template to communicate that the dismissals were due to performance-related issues.
