A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration’s mass firing of probationary government workers likely violated the law, prompting an order for the Office of Personnel Management to rescind the directives that initiated these layoffs. This ruling comes as the Trump administration indicated that the largest round of federal layoffs to date is on the horizon.
Key Facts
– NOAA: Over 800 employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were informed of their layoffs on Thursday.
– USAID: Thousands of employees at USAID received short notice to vacate their offices, with the administration reportedly laying off or placing on leave 5,600 workers and freezing foreign assistance, a move currently allowed to remain in place by the Supreme Court while it reviews the issue.
– Internal Revenue Service: The IRS has begun closing more than 110 offices that handle taxpayer assistance as part of a plan to lay off approximately 7,000 employees.
– Social Security Administration: Reports indicate that the administration is required to reduce its workforce by half.
– Labor Department: The plan involves a 90% workforce reduction in the office responsible for equal employment opportunity laws.
– Environmental Protection Agency: Statements from President Trump suggested a desire to cut 65% of the EPA’s workforce, which was later clarified to refer to spending cuts, not personnel reductions.
– National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Approximately 4% of staff were let go, despite a significant agency expansion during the Biden administration.
– Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): High-ranking officials were directed to identify staff involved in climate-related initiatives for potential layoffs.
– Transportation Security Administration (TSA): Over 240 employees were terminated for performance issues during their probationary period.
– Department of Defense: The Pentagon began laying off about 5,400 probationary workers and implemented a hiring freeze to meet reduction targets.
– Various Health Agencies: Reports indicated that 5,200 probationary employees across agencies like the NIH and CDC faced layoffs.
– Department of Energy: As many as 2,000 probationary employees may have been let go.
– Department of Education: Notifications of termination were sent to several probationary employees, citing their performance.
– Department of Veterans Affairs: Over 1,000 employees, including probationary ones, were dismissed to save costs.
– U.S. Forest Service: Cutbacks affected more than 3,400 staff members.
– Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Approximately 73 employees were terminated, with a temporary halt to firings agreed upon during ongoing litigation.
– National Nuclear Safety Administration: Plans were made to terminate about 300 employees, although some are now being reconsidered for rehire.
– General Services Administration: More than 100 employees faced layoffs.
– Federal Aviation Administration: About 400 employees were laid off soon after a tragic aviation incident, with critical safety roles were reportedly exempt.
What to Watch For
In a memo dated February 26, the Trump administration instructed agency leaders to provide plans for workforce reductions by March 13, signaling that more extensive layoffs could be imminent.
Previous Employee Terminations by Trump
It remains unclear exactly how many federal staff have been affected by the extensive layoffs across the Trump administration. These layoffs are separate from the voluntary buyouts offered to over 2 million federal employees. There have been other notable terminations under the Trump administration, including several high-profile figures in various federal agencies.
Who Are Probationary Employees?
Probationary employees typically include new hires with less than a year in the system, lacking some of the job protections afforded to permanent employees. Reports indicate that these workers have been the primary targets of the layoffs.
Resignations Since Trump Took Office
In addition to layoffs, the Trump administration extended an offer of compensated resignations to federal workers, resulting in around 75,000 employees opting to leave. Non-participation in this program may lead to mass terminations.
Legality of the Terminations
According to U.S. District Judge William Alsup, many of the layoffs could be deemed illegal, raising questions about the validity of the Trump administration’s directives. Multiple lawsuits are pending regarding significant firings, with a temporary reinstatement ordered for the head of the Office of Special Counsel, demonstrating the complex legal landscape surrounding these employment actions.
