Judge Signals Possible Reinstatement of Thousands of Fired Federal Workers

A federal judge in Maryland is considering ordering the Trump administration to rehire probationary employees, citing potential violations of federal law in the mass terminations.

• Approximately 200,000 probationary federal workers have been terminated under the Trump administration, with many firings citing vague 'performance' issues despite positive reviews for some employees.
• A coalition of 20 Democratic state attorneys general has sued, arguing the terminations violated federal laws requiring 60 days' notice and career transition services for reductions in force (RIFs).
• U.S. District Judge James Bredar expressed skepticism about the administration's claim that these were not RIFs and highlighted concerns about the legality of the firings.
• The administration has rescinded instructions to fire probationary workers following a related California court ruling but has also directed agencies to prepare for broader workforce reductions.
• The judge is expected to issue a written ruling soon, with the possibility of temporarily reinstating terminated employees while legal challenges proceed.

5 Articles

NBC News Raw Story Raw Story ABC News