A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) illegally fired thousands of probationary federal employees and that it should reinstate them.
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge William Alsup, a Clinton appointee, orders the Trump administration to reinstate those affected by the mass terminations.
Judge Condemns Administrations Actions
Judge Alsup harshly criticized the Trump administration’s handling of the fired federal employees, stating that the government knowingly misrepresented the reasons for the dismissals.
“It is a sad day when our government would fire some good employees and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie,” Alsup stated. “That should not have been done in our country. It was a sham in order to avoid statutory requirements.”
ALSUP: “It is sad, 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.”
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) March 13, 2025
As a result of the ruling, six federal agencies—the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA), Defense (DOD), Energy, Interior, Treasury, and Agriculture—are now required to offer reinstatement to affected probationary workers.
UPDATE: Alsup will also require offer of reinstatement to fired probationary employees at DOD, Energy, Interior, Treasury and Agriculture 🚨
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) March 13, 2025
Key Departments
According to data from the Office of Personnel Management, as of March 2024, approximately 220,000 federal employees were still within their probationary period.
While it remains unclear exactly how many of these workers were dismissed, estimates suggest that as many as 200,000 probationary employees across multiple agencies were impacted.
The mass terminations affected several key departments, including:
Department of Energy (DOE): Between 1,200 and 2,000 workers were laid off, including hundreds from the office responsible for overseeing the country’s nuclear stockpile.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Nearly 1,300 probationary employees—around 10% of the agency’s workforce—were let go.
Other agencies impacted: The Veterans Affairs Department, Department of Education, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Small Business Administration also saw widespread dismissals.
Termination Methods and Employee Reactions
Reports indicate that the firings were executed through impersonal means such as emails, form letters, and video calls. At OPM, dozens of probationary employees were dismissed via a Microsoft Teams call.
Some employees have expressed frustration and uncertainty over their futures, stating that they were given little to no warning before their terminations. Others argue that they were dismissed for political reasons rather than performance-related issues.
Legal and Political Implications
Judge Alsup’s ruling underscores ongoing legal battles over federal employment policies under the Trump administration. The judge’s decision to mandate reinstatement could have significant financial and administrative implications for the government, as agencies must now process offers for thousands of former employees.
Additionally, the ruling may impact Trump’s broader efforts to reshape the federal workforce. His administration has repeatedly sought to reduce the size of the federal government, arguing that bloated bureaucracy hampers efficiency.