The Trump administration is seeking to stop a ruling that orders the rehiring of thousands of federal workers who were terminated in efforts to downsize the government.
The big picture: An emergency appeal was made to the Supreme Court, arguing against the mandated rehiring of approximately 16,000 probationary employees.
- The appeal aims to restrict federal judges who have been perceived as impeding President Trump’s policy initiatives by claiming non-compliance with federal law.
- U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco issued the order for immediate reinstatement offers, citing non-compliance with federal laws governing firings.
Driving the news: Departments affected by the ruling include Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior and Treasury.
- The lawsuit was brought by labor unions against the government’s actions to reduce the federal workforce through the mass terminations of probationary employees.
Go deeper: Judge Alsup criticized the government’s approach of circumventing workforce reduction laws by targeting probationary workers who lack legal protections and the ability to appeal termination decisions.
