Federal board orders USDA to reinstate 'numerous' fired probationary employees
A federal personnel board on Wednesday ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate a fired worker, as well as "numerous" other probationary employees who were fired Feb. 13 and later.
The Merit Systems Protection Board issued the ruling at the request of the Office of Special Counsel, a watchdog for federal workers who argued the firings violated federal laws related to probationary employees and reductions in force.
Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger said the employee was fired using a form letter that the Department of Agriculture also sent to nearly 6,000 other probationary employees. He asked for a pause on their terminations for 45 days while he investigates.
The board, which acts similarly to a court in certain issues involving federal employment, previously reinstated six other probationary workers at six federal agencies, also at Dellinger's request.
The Agriculture Department's firing of probationary employees are part of multibillionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency's mass firings and their reinstatement is the latest legal blow to those efforts. By law, probationary employees can only be fired for their performance.
Trump attempted to fire the chair of the board, Cathy Harris, in February, but a court ruled that firing illegal. Trump also attempted to fire Dellinger, but a federal court reinstated him this week, calling that firing illegal, too.