A federal judge has ordered several U.S. government agencies to reinstate probationary employees who were terminated last month, ruling that their dismissal was unlawful.
U.S. District Judge William Alsup’s order on Thursday applies to the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Energy, Interior, and Treasury. The ruling mandates that the agencies “offer reinstatement to any and all probationary employees terminated on or about February 13,” referring to the date when the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed agencies to fire probationary employees.
Alsup determined that the OPM’s directive—issued through both a written memo and a phone call—was not legally valid.
The decision follows a legal challenge over the broad dismissal of probationary federal workers, which was ordered during a February 13 OPM call with department and agency heads. The ruling could have significant implications for federal employment policies and the rights of workers in their probationary period.
The affected agencies have not yet responded to the court order. It remains unclear how quickly the reinstatement process will be implemented.
