Judge halts mass firing of U.S. federal probationary employees

USA – A federal judge in California has temporarily stopped the mass termination of probationary employees across U.S. federal agencies, ruling that the move is likely unlawful.

Judge William Alsup issued an injunction, stating that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and its acting director, Charles Ezell, do not have the legal authority to order such widespread job cuts.

Legal challenge and its implications

The lawsuit was filed by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other plaintiffs.

While it does not specifically mention health agencies like the FDA and CDC, the ruling could set a precedent for other lawsuits challenging large-scale layoffs in federal institutions.

Judge Alsup strongly criticized the mass firings, saying, “We can’t run our agencies with lies. The Office of Personnel Management does not have any authority whatsoever under any statute in the history of the universe to hire and fire employees at another agency.”

He emphasized that arbitrarily terminating workers without cause is unfair and undermines the functioning of government agencies.

Musk-led department involvement

The decision comes amid growing controversy over a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, led by Elon Musk, which had issued a second email to federal employees.

This email warned workers to justify their roles or face termination, despite earlier White House guidance stating that participation was voluntary.

Musk also posted on X (formerly Twitter) that failing to respond would be considered a resignation.

Immediate actions ordered by the judge

Following the ruling, Judge Alsup ordered OPM to inform all federal agencies about the injunction, including the Department of Defense, which was scheduled to fire thousands of probationary employees.

Additionally, he directed the federal government to reveal by next Tuesday the names of officials present in a February 13th meeting, where OPM allegedly instructed agencies to terminate employees who were not deemed “mission-critical.”

AFGE national president Everett Kelley called the ruling a victory for federal workers, stating, “These are rank-and-file employees who joined the government to serve their communities, only to be illegally fired by an administration seeking to privatize their work.”

The ruling also follows reports that the FDA had to rehire some of the employees it had let go after realizing that they were essential to the agency’s operations.

These workers, many with less than two years of service, play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth functioning of government agencies.

Judge Alsup noted that probationary employees are vital for renewing the federal workforce, saying, “They come in at a low level and work their way up. That’s how we renew ourselves.”

A written order is expected soon, and an evidentiary hearing on the case is scheduled for March 13th.