Judge blocks Trump administration's mass dismissals of probationary federal employees

A judge in California blocked the Trump administration on Thursday from ordering departments and agencies to begin dismissing recently hired probationary federal workers, saying the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lacks the power to fire employees.

The move came during a court hearing over a lawsuit from labor unions and other groups challenging OPM’s mass terminations.

In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim the mass terminations violate the Administrative Procedure Act requirements and congressional laws that deal with agency hiring and firing practices.