A federal judge made a landmark ruling on Thursday, compelling federal agencies to reinstate tens of thousands of probationary employees who were unjustly dismissed during President Donald Trump’s attempt to downsize the federal government.
U.S. District Judge William Alsup denounced the mass terminations as a deceptive tactic by the government’s central human resources office to evade legal obligations in reducing the federal workforce.
The Rehiring Directive
Judge Alsup, an appointee of President Bill Clinton based in San Francisco, directed the Defense, Treasury, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs departments to promptly reoffer employment to all terminated probationary staff. He criticized the Office of Personnel Management for its wrongful decision to terminate them.
This ruling marks a significant setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to streamline the bureaucracy and is likely to face appeals.
Judge’s Critique of the Justice Department
Additionally, Judge Alsup rebuked the Justice Department for its handling of the case, expressing doubts about the transparency of the administration’s legal team in disclosing the facts surrounding the mass firings.
During a hearing, the judge confronted a DOJ attorney, accusing them of withholding crucial information: “You will not bring the people in here to be cross-examined. You’re afraid to do so because you know cross-examination would reveal the truth. I tend to doubt that you’re telling me the truth… I’m tired of seeing you stonewall on trying to get at the truth.”
Circumvention of Workforce Reduction Laws
Judge Alsup also criticized the administration for attempting to bypass federal regulations on downsizing the workforce by attributing the terminations to “performance” issues, which he deemed as misleading. He characterized this maneuver as a deceptive tactic: “It is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie,” Alsup remarked.
This ruling serves as a significant legal intervention to rectify the unjust dismissals of federal workers and uphold the integrity of employment practices within the government.
