Judge blocks Trump administration’s decision to fire federal workers

A federal judge ordered the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to rescind its directive, which led to mass firings of probationary federal workers, ruling that OPM probably had no authority to remove employees from other agencies.

The ruling temporarily halts the terminations at over two dozen agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Park Service and the National Science Foundation.

A group of plaintiffs led by the American Federation of Government Employees, representing 800,000 federal workers, argued in a lawsuit that OPM’s action was illegal. Several workers have protested outside federal buildings, demanding reinstatement.

Tens of thousands of workers were dismissed, some after receiving positive performance reviews.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department defended the firings, claiming presidential authority over workforce management. Another court hearing is scheduled for March 13.