Appeals Court Upholds Order Reinstating Thousands of Federal Workers

The mass layoffs are a part of the Trump Administration’s attempts to shrink the size of the federal government, cut spending, and increase overall efficiency.

The U.S. flag and a judge's gavel are seen in this photo illustration on Aug. 6, 2024. Dado Ruvic/Reuters

The Trump administration’s attempt to appeal a district judge’s order to reinstate nearly 25,000 probationary workers to their jobs across 18 federal agencies was struck down on March 21.

Judge Allison Rushing of the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, chose not to pause the order because the ruling judge, U.S. District Judge James Bredar, was expected to decide next whether to extend his ruling further in a lawsuit brought forward by the attorneys general of 19 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C.