Federal Judges Order Reinstatement of Probationary Workers Fired Under Trump Administration
Two U.S. federal judges have ordered multiple government agencies to reinstate thousands of probationary employees who were abruptly fired last month under the Trump administration.
In California, District Judge William Alsup condemned the mass dismissals, calling them part of a "sham" effort to bypass legal workforce reduction procedures. His ruling—quickly followed by a similar order from a Maryland court—affects workers from departments including Defense, Energy, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has defended the firings, stating they were carried out based on guidance rather than an official directive from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
Judges Question Legality of Firings
During a Thursday hearing in San Francisco, Judge Alsup dismissed the DOJ’s arguments, pointing to termination letters that explicitly cited OPM instructions.
"That should not have been done in our country," Alsup said. "It was a sham in order to avoid statutory requirements."
Danielle Leonard, an attorney representing government employee unions, argued that probationary employees were specifically targeted because they lacked the right to appeal their dismissals.
Judge Alsup also referenced the case of a high-performing government worker in New Mexico who was fired under the pretense of poor performance.
"It is a sad day when our government fires a good employee and says it's for performance when they know good and well that's a lie," he stated.
In Baltimore, Judge James Bredar echoed Alsup’s sentiments, ruling that the Trump administration violated federal regulations and casting doubt on claims that workers were dismissed for legitimate performance issues.
White House Pushes Back
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed Alsup’s ruling, accusing him of attempting to "unconstitutionally seize the power of hiring and firing from the executive branch."
She insisted that the president holds authority over federal employment decisions and vowed that the administration would challenge the ruling.
"The Trump administration will immediately fight back against this absurd and unconstitutional order," she said.
The Musk Factor?
Although Elon Musk's name did not come up in the California hearing, union leaders believe his influence looms large. President Trump recently appointed Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge)—a newly created entity aimed at slashing the federal workforce.
Luz Fuller, president of a Sacramento-based federal employee union, remarked:
"He was on everybody's mind."
"He was on everybody's mind."
Despite the speculation, the White House denies Musk is leading the agency, though Trump publicly referred to him as such in a recent Congressional address.
What’s Next?
With the Trump administration preparing to fight the rulings, the fate of these reinstated workers remains uncertain. However, for now, the courts have delivered a clear message: mass firings cannot bypass legal due process.
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