Judge halts Trump’s guidelines on employee layoffs

Judge halts Trump’s guidelines on layoffs.

The order is issued by Judge William Alsup.

Here are all the details.

A judge from the Federal Court of California has halted measures implemented by the Trump administration that allowed federal agencies to evaluate the continuity of employees during their probationary period, leading to a wave of mass layoffs in recent weeks.

The order was issued by Judge William Alsup of the Northern District of California, who described the guidelines set by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as “illegal.”

The ruling mandates the immediate suspension of these instructions, which, according to worker advocates, arbitrarily impacted hundreds of thousands of federal employees.

The controversy stems from a memorandum issued by the OPM on January 20 and a subsequent internal email on February 14, urging federal agencies to urgently review the employment status of probationary employees.

The judge highlights the value of employees during probationary periods

US District Judge William Alsup Finds Mass Firings of Federal Probationary Workers to Likely Be unlawfulhttps://t.co/ls0or9unb5 pic.twitter.com/v6CDVGVLBQ

– The Washington Times (@Washimes) February 28, 2025

The OPM had argued that it was not a formal order but merely a «recommendation» to the agencies.

However, Judge Alsup challenged this interpretation, pointing out that the simultaneous implementation of these measures across multiple agencies appeared more like a directive than a mere suggestion.

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During the hearing, Alsup underscored the importance of employees in their probationary period, calling them «the soul of the government,» as many are newly hired or reassigned to new roles within the agencies.

The judge stressed that this group is crucial for the renewal and reinvention of public administration.

Judge Alsup’s ruling presents a significant hurdle for the restructuring policies promoted by the Trump administration, though the dispute over the future of these employees remains ongoing.