Two judges order Trump administration to give fired workers their jobs back

Two US judges have ordered several federal government agencies to reinstate the jobs of probationary employees fired en masse by the Trump administration last month.

In California, District Judge William Alsup called the sacking of these employees part of a "sham" strategy that aimed to circumvent proper procedures for reducing the federal workforce.

His order - which was followed by another from Maryland - applies to thousands of probationary workers who were fired at a range of departments, including defence, energy, treasury, and veterans affairs.