While the decision is limited to those six workers, its implication is that all, or nearly all, of the mass firings of probationary government workers by President Donald Trump violate the laws regulating government employment. If the decision holds, it would represent a massive setback for Trump and Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk’s efforts to rapidly shrink the number of federal government employees “Firing probationary employees without individualized cause appears contrary to a reasonable reading of the law, particularly the provisions establishing rules for reductions in force,” Dellinger said in a statement on Monday. “Because Congress has directed that OSC ‘shall’ protect government employees from PPPs, I believe I have a responsibility to request a stay of these actions while my agency continues to investigate further the apparent violation of federal personnel laws.” The board currently has two members — Democratic appointee Ray Limon and Republican appointee and chairman Henry Kerner. If the board approves the stay requests on the firing of the six workers, it could also grant a class action for all of the fired probationary government workers, something that Democracy Forward plans to request. MSN
