NATIONAL NEWS – Back to work: 6,000 fired USDA ordered back to their jobs for now, federal protection board

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

An independent federal board has officially ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to temporarily reinstate up to 6,000 employees who have been fired since February 13th. The Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) issued a stay that ordered USDA to return the fired workers to their jobs for 45 days while an investigation into whether or not these employees were rightfully terminated continues. The MSPB acts as an internal court that considers complaints issued by federal employees against the government. 

The order came from board member Cathy Harris, who covers probationary employees who have received identical termination letters saying that their employment had been terminated based on their performance. The letters also said that they had not demonstrated that their further employment “would be in the public interest.” Since mid-February, Trump’s administration has fired tens of thousands of probationary employees across the federal government. This order was a response to a request from the U.S. Official of Special Counsel (OSC), which is tasked with investigating the firings of probationary employees. This follows a similar decision that was issued last week and temporarily reinstates six probationary workers who were fired from six different agencies. Those employees are now back on the job for at least April 10th.