Cathy Harris, a fired judge who sued and was forced back, ruled that 5,600 probationary employees at the Department of Agriculture (USDA ) were terminated in a move that may have violated federal procedures.
Her ruling halts the firings for 45 days, while the Merit Systems Protection Board, which she chairs, reviews the firings.
It’s not a permanent victory for workers hoping to keep their jobs, but one that could become lasting if the Board rules that the firings (which at USDA were predicated on supposed performance issues) were made on dubious grounds.
Meanwhile, the affected employees will remain in their respective positions.
Harris herself issued the ruling only a day after a federal injunction barring her from taking action was lifted on Tuesday. President Donald Trump attempted to fire Harris upon taking office, though her term does not expire until 2028. She sued, and on Tuesday a federal judge ruled that her firing was illegal. The White House is likely to escalate the effort to fire her to a court of appeals.
Meanwhile, a lawsuit could trash the probably unconstitutional law banning presidents from firing other than on performance. Unions have made those rules impossible since they have politicized the process.
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