Subhechcha Ganguly 
A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked an order from the Trump administration that directed federal agencies to carry out mass layoffs of recently hired employees. The decision, issued on Thursday by San Francisco District Judge William Alsup, came after President Donald Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk announced the layoffs as part of efforts to reduce costs within the administration. The ruling follows a challenge to the directive, which aimed to cut positions for probationary employees—those typically with less than a year of service.
Judge Alsup’s order determined that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) did not have the authority to mandate such widespread firings. The court’s decision prevents the administration from proceeding with its plan to eliminate these positions, which had sparked concerns over potential disruptions and the rights of federal workers.
A U.S. federal judge has issued an order blocking a directive from the Trump administration aimed at laying off probationary federal employees to reduce costs. The move comes after President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, co-chairing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), announced plans to cut personnel in the administration.
San Francisco District Judge William Alsup ruled that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must revoke a memo from January 20 and an email from February 14. Both documents had instructed federal agencies to identify probationary employees deemed “non-mission-critical” and fire them. The court’s decision prevents the implementation of these layoffs for now.
