A federal judge has mandated the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of probationary federal employees who were terminated in mass firings across multiple agencies. The court found these dismissals did not comply with federal law and ordered immediate reinstatement offers.
U.S. District Judge William Alsup issued the ruling on Thursday, affecting the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, and Treasury. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of labor unions and organizations challenging the legality of the mass terminations.
The judge criticized the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for directing these terminations without proper authority, labeling the process a “sham” and a “gimmick.” He emphasized that OPM lacked the legal power to instruct other agencies to carry out such widespread firings.
This ruling requires the affected agencies to offer immediate reinstatement to the employees dismissed in February 2025. The judge has ordered these agencies to report back within seven days detailing their compliance with the reinstatement order.
The American Federation of Government Employees, a key plaintiff in the lawsuit, welcomed the court’s order, emphasizing the unlawful nature of the mass terminations and committing to continued advocacy for the reinstatement of the affected federal employees.
The ruling benefits unions and entrenched government employees while potentially limiting an administration’s ability to implement policy changes.
Conservatives have long advocated for a streamlined, efficient government that prioritizes accountability over lifetime job security. This decision underscores the challenge of reforming a federal workforce resistant to change, making it clear that any efforts to rein in government inefficiency will face legal and institutional pushback.
