US District Judge William Alsup concluded that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had informed thousands of workers in a few federal departments that they were fired using power that the agency lacked.
“[OPM] does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe, to hire and fire employees at another agency,” he stated. “They can hire and fire their own employees.”
The government contended in court that OPM requested—rather than mandated—that the agencies terminate these workers.
Additionally, they contended that only the best and most important workers should be employed, and that probationary staff are not assured jobs.
The Trump administration’s efforts to cut the federal workforce have targeted government employees.
