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| Federal workers protest Trump and Musk’s mass layoffs and service cuts nationwide. (Photo by Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) |
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of probationary federal employees who were abruptly dismissed as part of a sweeping effort to downsize the federal workforce. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco, rebuked the administration’s justification for the mass firings and labeled the move a "sham" intended to bypass established legal procedures.
The court order mandates that six federal agencies, the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, and Treasury, rehire probationary employees who were terminated last month. Alsup found that the firings were executed under directives from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), an agency that lacked the authority to implement such a broad reduction in force.
During the hearing, Alsup cited termination letters issued to employees that falsely attributed their dismissals to performance-related issues. The judge noted that at least one employee in Albuquerque, New Mexico, had been given top performance marks before being terminated under the pretext of poor performance. "It is a sad day when our government fires a good employee and pretends it was for performance reasons when they know that’s a lie," Alsup said.
The decision is expected to have widespread implications. Legal experts speculate that the ruling could lead to further litigation, with the possibility of appeals extending to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Justice Department has already indicated it will appeal the ruling, arguing that the judiciary does not have the authority to interfere in executive branch employment decisions.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly criticized the ruling, accusing Alsup of "unconstitutionally seizing the power of hiring and firing from the executive branch." She reiterated that the authority to manage federal personnel belongs to the president, calling the court’s decision "absurd and unconstitutional."
At the center of the controversy is OPM, which has played an instrumental role in the layoffs. The agency, historically responsible for managing federal employment policies, has been under increased scrutiny since President Trump tasked Elon Musk with overseeing government efficiency initiatives through the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). While Musk was not directly mentioned in the court proceedings, many believe his influence is a driving force behind the administration’s aggressive workforce reduction strategy.
Though the ruling offers immediate relief to the affected employees, questions remain about their long-term job security. Employment attorney John P. Mahoney noted that while agencies are now obligated to bring workers back, the administration could seek alternative methods to reduce the workforce in the future. "Even if they return to work, there could still be large-scale reductions in force down the line," Mahoney warned.
The issue of back pay for the dismissed employees remains unresolved, with Alsup suggesting that further legal proceedings may be required to determine compensation. If the court ultimately rules that the terminations were unlawful, the government could face substantial financial liability.