On Wednesday, a federal appeals court made a significant ruling that permits President Donald Trump’s administration to dismiss thousands of probationary workers, counteracting a previous order which mandated their reinstatement. This development represents a legal success for the Trump administration’s initiative to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
This ruling follows closely on the heels of a Supreme Court decision that similarly favored the administration in a separate lawsuit related to widespread dismissals. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a split decision, determined that the issue of federal worker terminations should likely be addressed through specific employment processes, rather than being litigated in federal court. This decision featured judges appointed by Republican presidents supporting the administration, while a Democrat-appointed judge opposed.
The lawsuit was initiated by nearly two dozen states, which argued that these mass layoffs would impose significant burdens and costs associated with supporting newly unemployed individuals. The lawsuit noted that at least 24,000 probationary federal employees have been dismissed since Trump took office. The possibility remains for the states to seek further judicial review as the case progresses.
The Trump administration contended that states do not have the authority to interfere in the federal government’s dealings with its workforce. Despite this, the administration has reinstated approximately 15,000 employees either to full duty or paid leave while the legal proceedings have unfolded, court documents indicate.
The decision from the appeals court effectively stops a prior ruling by U.S. District Judge James Bredar in Baltimore. Judge Bredar, along with another Democrat-appointed judge, had previously determined that the Trump administration’s termination of employees across 20 federal agencies violated federal laws.
A Supreme Court ruling earlier in the week prevented another order by U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco, which had been filed by nonprofit organizations, from moving forward, citing a lack of legal standing to challenge the probationary dismissals. However, the case is not yet over, as Judge Alsup is still considering potential reinstatement on behalf of the state of Washington and labor unions.
Within the federal government, probationary workers are often targeted for layoffs due to their recent employment and lack of full civil service protections. The states involved in the Baltimore lawsuit against the Trump administration are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, joined by the District of Columbia.