Two judges have directed the US government to reinstate thousands of probationary federal workers who were dismissed in recent mass firings across various federal agencies. The judges in Maryland and California independently identified legal issues with how the terminations were executed and ordered the temporary reinstatement of the workers.
Federal Judge James Bredar in Maryland concluded that 18 agencies violated rules governing the dismissal of federal workers and mandated the reinstatement for entities including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the US Agency for International Development.
Similarly, District Judge William Alsup in California ruled for the return of probationary employees from departments such as Defense, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Energy, Interior, and Treasury, reasoning that while staff cuts are permissible, they must be carried out with proper justification.
Both judges rejected the administration’s argument that the firings were for performance or other individual reasons, noting the implausibility of this claim given the scale and speed of the dismissals. The OPM’s orders for these layoffs were deemed unjustified by Alsup.
The Trump administration, which had called for additional plans for layoffs and budget cuts, insists the firings were lawful, arguing that individual agencies assessed each employee’s fitness for continued service. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the court rulings as attempts to curtail the executive branch’s authority, vowing to contest the decisions.
This decision represents a significant setback for the Trump administration’s and Musk’s objectives to overhaul the federal workforce. It highlights ongoing contentions over the balance of power between the executive branch and the judiciary, with the Trump administration previously criticizing rulings against them, particularly by judges appointed by Democrats, as politically motivated.
The article originally published on March 13, 2025, and updated on March 14, 2025, to include the Maryland ruling.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/us-judges-order-white-house-to-reinstate-fired-workers/a-71916888?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
