Thousands of fired federal workers must be offered reinstatement, a judge rules
Thousands of federal employees fired by the Trump administration must be offered job reinstatement within the next week, a U.S. district judge in San Francisco has ruled, because he said they were terminated unlawfully.
“It is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that is a lie,” the judge, William Alsup, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, said before issuing his ruling from the bench.
The decision marks a significant stand against President Trump’s sweeping efforts to remake the federal government. An appeal is likely.
The administration’s job cuts targeted federal workers with probationary status, which usually means newer workers, and makes them easier to let go. Employees recently promoted into a new position can also be considered probationary.
Many probationary employees were fired for “performance reasons,” according to their termination notices, a reason the court rejected in its ruling on Thursday.
“It was a sham in order to try to avoid statutory requirements,” Alsup said.
The judge also ordered the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to prove within seven days that it had offered reinstatement to all probationary employees at at least six government agencies: the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.
The decision comes as a result of a lawsuit brought by a group of unions and civic groups on behalf of workers fired from a host of agencies and sub-agencies.
In a charged, sometimes confrontational court hearing on Thursday, Judge Alsup challenged the government’s argument that OPM had not directly ordered the termination of probationary employees but had left that decision to individual federal agencies and served merely as a coordinating body.
“The court rejects the government’s attempt to use these press releases and to read between the lines to say the agency heads made their own decision with no direction from OPM,” Alsup said.
The judge also bridled that OPM’s acting director, Charles Ezell, and his senior adviser, Noah Peters, did not attend the hearing.
“You will not bring the people in here to be cross-examined. You’re afraid to do so because you know cross-examination would reveal the truth,” Alsup said, addressing OPM’s legal team. “I tend to doubt that you’re telling me the truth.”
Earlier this month, the same judge issued a temporary restraining order in the same case, saying the firings were illegal but noted many federal agencies had yet to rehire probationary workers. “Maybe that’s why we need an injunction that tells them to rehire them,” he said.
NPR’s Andrea Hsu contributed to this report.
Trump issues new travel ban covering a dozen countries
The White House said the action was needed to protect the United States from terrorist attacks and other national security threats, and said the countries lacked screening and vetting capabilities.
In hearings, McMahon faces questions about the shrinking federal role in schools and colleges
In separate hearings on Capitol Hill this week, the Education Secretary answered questions about a range of issues, from student loans to mental health programs.
Judge blocks deportation of Boulder attacker’s family
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the government to immediately halt deportation proceedings against the wife and five children of a man charged in the firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado, responding to what the judge called an urgent situation to ensure the protection of the family's constitutional rights.
The Trump administration is working on a plan for time limits on rental aid
A housing agency rule would also allow work requirements. Supporters say a time limit would help spread limited funds to more people, but critics warn it would leave some homeless.
President Trump is attending the musical ‘Les Mis’ – why is this a big deal?
Since Trump abruptly ousted Kennedy Center leadership and became its board chair, artists have canceled shows and subscription sales are down.
A new satellite TV channel allows Alexei Navalny’s videos to reach Russian audiences
The Russia's Future channel, launched by Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya and Reporters Without Borders, began broadcasting Wednesday, on what would have been the late Russian activist's 49th birthday.