Overview

• The Merit Systems Protection Board ruled that the firing of six probationary government employees under Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency likely violated federal employment laws.
• The board ordered their reinstatement with back pay for 45 days while further investigations into the legality of their terminations are conducted.
• The Office of Special Counsel found that the dismissals circumvented regulations and were not based on individual performance, prompting broader scrutiny of Musk's workforce reduction efforts.
• The decision could set a precedent affecting thousands of other probationary employees dismissed in similar circumstances as part of Musk's mass federal workforce overhaul.
• Separately, legal challenges are underway regarding presidential authority over federal agency heads, with implications for the Office of Special Counsel leadership and broader executive powers.