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Judge halts mass firings of federal workers at some agencies

A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful, granting some temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has sued to stop the Trump administration’s massive trimming of the federal workforce.

Judge Blocks Firings

The ruling puts one of the most comprehensive pauses so far on the attempts of President Donald Trump’s administration to carry out mass firings across federal agencies.

The case specifically grappled with the involvement and oversight of the Office of Personnel Management, led by acting director Charles Ezell, in directing agencies to cut back their workforces beginning with shorter-term, or probationary, employees.

At a hearing on Thursday afternoon, US District Judge William Alsup ordered the Office of Personnel Management to inform certain federal agencies that it had no authority to order the firings of probationary employees, including the Department of Defense.

The order may have the immediate impact of putting on hold mass firings of federal probationary workers.

“OPM does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe,” to hire or fire any employees but its own, Alsup said.

Alsup handed down the order on a temporary restraining order sought by labor unions and nonprofits in a lawsuit filed by the coalition filed last week. He had sought more clarity before the hearing on the extent of the involvement of OPM in directing agencies to cut staff.

A sworn statement from Ezell filed in court told the judge OPM wasn’t conducting a “mass termination program,” and “did not direct agencies to terminate probationary employees, based on performance or misconduct.” Ezell said the individual agencies were “responsible” for taking their own action to cut jobs and review workers’ performance.

Ezell did, however, say he “issued guidance” to federal agencies on Trump’s first day in office, and again this month, that probationary employees weren’t finalized hires in the government and that agencies should “manage staffing levels,” according to the court filing. ALSO READ

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