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Federal Judge Extends Injunction Against Trump Administration’s Employee Firings
A federal judge has announced an indefinite extension of the order preventing the Trump administration from terminating employees during their probationary periods at various federal agencies. However, the latest ruling narrows the scope of protection to federal workers living or working in 19 states and Washington, D.C.
This legal decision stems from a large-scale reduction in workforce carried out by twenty federal agencies, which dismissed many newly hired and recently promoted employees without adhering to established procedures. Judge James Bredar of the U.S. District Court for Maryland declared these firings unlawful, ordering the reinstatement of approximately 25,000 affected employees previously dismissed. Initially, this reinstatement was meant to apply nationwide, but the recent ruling restricts it to those in the states that are part of the case.
With the new preliminary injunction, only a limited number of employees will qualify for protection against termination. This is largely due to a separate ruling in California, where another judge has issued a nationwide injunction that affects six major agencies—the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, and Treasury. These agencies account for over 70% of the employees dismissed in the Maryland case, meaning their reinstatement remains intact.
As for the 30% of employees affected outside these jurisdictions, only those not residing or working in Maryland, California, New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, or D.C. face potential firings.
Further, Judge Bredar’s ruling extends to additional agencies, including the Departments of Commerce, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Transportation, among others, as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, General Services Administration, Small Business Administration, and U.S. Agency for International Development.
The initial injunction from the California court, presided over by Judge William Alsup, continues to apply while it is under consideration by the Supreme Court. The Trump administration has requested that the Supreme Court stay Alsup’s ruling following its failed attempt to reverse it through the appellate court. Justice Elena Kagan has instructed the plaintiffs involved to respond to this appeal by Thursday.
The administration also sought a stay from the U.S. Appeals Court for the Fourth Circuit regarding Bredar’s temporary restraining order, a request that was denied. Following the issuance of Bredar’s preliminary injunction, it is anticipated that the administration will file another appeal.
Attorneys from the Justice Department had argued for a further limitation of the ruling to only those working in the plaintiff states. Ultimately, Judge Bredar sided with the plaintiffs, opting to extend protections to individuals who either live or work within those states.
Although a significant number of probationary employees have managed to keep their jobs for now, federal agencies are actively engaged in conducting extensive workforce reductions. Bredar’s ruling does not preclude layoffs altogether; it stipulates that any terminations must follow the proper administrative procedures. Notably, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued reduction in force (RIF) notices to 10,000 employees on Tuesday, while agencies like Education, GSA, and USAID have already carried out layoffs affecting thousands. Further layoffs across other agencies are anticipated in the coming weeks.
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