A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to reinstate probationary workers who were recently dismissed in mass firings across six agencies, including the Department of Defense.
The administration is expected to appeal the ruling by U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco. His decision came during a federal court hearing over a lawsuit filed by labor unions and other groups challenging the terminations, which were carried out under the direction of the Office of Personnel Management.
The plaintiffs argue the firings violate the Administrative Procedure Act and congressional laws governing agency hiring and firing practices. Alsup previously ruled that OPM lacked the authority to dismiss workers, including probationary employees who typically have less than a year of civil service experience.
The affected agencies include the Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Energy, Interior, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs.
