'Square one' | Thousands of federal staff cut in Trump's layoffs must be reinstated, Judge orders

The push and pull over the Trump administration's swathing cuts to Federal administrations continues, with a judge in Maryland ordering the reinstatement of thousands of employees terminated in recent weeks, finding that the dismissals violated legal procedures.

US District Judge James K. Bredar issued a 14-day stay after 20 Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit on behalf of employees across multiple states. The ruling follows a separate court order in San Francisco, where another judge directed the Trump administration to reinstate workers at six federal agencies.

The Maryland ruling applies nationwide, requiring 18 federal agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, and Homeland Security, to reinstate probationary employees dismissed through what Bredar described as “illegal RIFs” (reductions in force). The court excluded the Defense Department, the Office of Personnel Management, and the National Archives and Records Administration due to insufficient evidence of wrongful terminations.

Legal disputes over Federal job losses

The lawsuit claims the Trump administration bypassed federal law by terminating employees without proper evaluation or the required 60-day notice period. State governments argued this left them unable to prepare support services for newly jobless individuals, increasing pressure on unemployment systems and reducing tax revenue.