A federal judge in San Francisco has ruled that the mass firings of probationary federal employees by the Trump administration are likely unlawful. U.S. District Judge William Alsup found that the Office of Personnel Management did not have the authority to order these firings, providing temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations who have filed a lawsuit against the workforce cuts.
The lawsuit, brought by five labor unions and five nonprofit organizations, challenges the administration’s efforts to reduce the federal workforce, which President Trump has criticized as bloated and inefficient. The plaintiffs argue that the firings of probationary employees, who generally have less than a year of service, were unjustified and based on false claims of poor performance.
According to the complaint, there are an estimated 200,000 probationary workers across federal agencies, with about 15,000 employed in California. The judge’s ruling comes as the administration has targeted career officials with civil service protection for layoffs as well.
While lawyers for the government argue that probationary employees are not guaranteed employment and that agencies have the authority to determine their suitability for continued employment, Judge Alsup’s order provides a setback to the administration’s workforce reduction efforts. Despite previous failed attempts by unions to challenge these layoffs in court, this recent ruling may signal a turning point in the legal battle over federal workforce reductions.
Judge Alsup, known for overseeing high-profile cases and speaking candidly, has been critical of the administration’s workforce reduction policies. This ruling is a significant development in the ongoing legal challenges against the Trump administration’s efforts to slash the federal workforce.
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