Overview
- U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued a preliminary injunction that halts new reductions‑in‑force notices and pauses implementation of shutdown‑era layoffs for union‑represented employees.
- Illston said the unions are likely to succeed because the rollout appeared arbitrary and capricious and motivated by political retribution, citing declarations detailing severe human impacts.
- The scope remains contested as the judge may hold an evidentiary proceeding on agency actions that may predate the shutdown, including at the Interior Department and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
- Counts of affected workers conflict, with administration filings citing just under 2,500 notices and multiple reports placing the figure at about 4,100, all currently on hold under the order.
- Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued layoffs are warranted during a funding lapse to cut costs, while unions AFGE and AFSCME and their counsel at Democracy Forward praised the ruling as a safeguard for career civil servants.