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ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A federal judge has refined his previous ruling regarding the reinstatement of federal probationary employees who were terminated during the Trump administration. The scope of this order now specifically pertains to individuals employed in the 19 states and the District of Columbia that have legally challenged the mass firings.
U.S. District Judge James Bredar, based in Baltimore, granted a preliminary injunction on Tuesday evening that safeguards these employees while the lawsuit is ongoing.
In his decision, Bredar remarked, “Only states have sued here, and only to vindicate their interests as states. They are not proxies for the workers.” This distinction underscores the role of the states in the legal action rather than positioning them as representatives for the affected employees.
The ruling mandates that the 18 federal agencies initially implicated in the lawsuit comply with legal standards in any forthcoming workforce reductions. Additionally, the judge has now included the Defense Department and the Office of Personnel Management among those agencies.
Previously, Bredar determined that the terminations constituted a significant reduction in staff, which necessitated adherence to established guidelines, including advance notification to relevant states regarding layoff plans.
According to the lawsuit, the mass layoffs are projected to impose considerable economic strains on the states and the District, as they will be responsible for aiding recently unemployed individuals and handling unemployment claims.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, a leading figure in the case, criticized the reasoning behind the firings. “When the Trump Administration fired tens of thousands of federal probationary employees, they claimed it was due to poor work performance. We know better,” he stated. “This was a coordinated effort to eliminate the federal workforce – even if it meant breaking the law.”
The lawsuit alleges that over 24,000 probationary employees have lost their jobs since Trump took office.
The federal government is appealing this ruling to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that states should not be able to challenge federal employment decisions. Justice Department attorneys maintain that the firings were based on performance-related issues rather than constituting mass layoffs that would trigger specific legal requirements.
Moreover, the administration is contesting a comparable injunction issued by a California judge aimed at reinstating probationary employees. The Justice Department asserts that federal judicial authority does not extend to compelling the executive branch to alter its hiring and firing practices; however, the government has begun efforts to rehire some workers in compliance with these court orders.
Probationary government employees have often been at risk of layoffs as they are typically new and do not possess full civil service protections.
The states involved in this legal action against the Trump administration encompass a range of locations, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
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