Trump Abruptly Walks Back His Directive To Fire Thousands Of Federal Employees

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday abruptly walked back his directive to federal agencies to fire thousands of probationary employees, a stunning reversal that comes days after a federal judge ruled that the president’s ongoing mass firings of federal workers are probably illegal.

In a new memo delivered to the heads of all federal agencies, the Office of Personnel Management ― the human resources agency of the federal government ― says it doesn’t actually have to comply with its previous instructions to fire all probationary employees, or people who have generally held their jobs for a year or less. Instead, per this memo, federal agencies have until Sept. 13 to come up with their own plans for reducing staff.

“OPM requests that agencies not issue any agency-specific rules until such rules have been reviewed and approved by OPM,” reads the revised guidance to federal agencies, issued by OPM acting Director Charles Ezell.

Here’s a copy of OPM’s memo:

Trump’s walk-back means the heads of federal agencies don’t have to plow ahead with more haphazard firings of essential staff, but it’s not clear what this means for the thousands of employees who have already been fired.

The administration’s new directive comes after U.S. District Judge William Alsup last week ordered OPM to inform several federal agencies that it had no authority to direct them to carry out mass firings, and that such actions were likely illegal.

That ruling has already resulted in some federal agencies scrambling to rehire people they just fired. One of those agencies, the National Science Foundation, is currently trying to reinstate 84 employees it had fired as part of OPM’s directive. One of those 84 people told HuffPost on Monday that he and several of his colleagues learned they were getting their jobs back not from NSF, but from other coworkers and via the press.

“What a joke, finding out from colleagues and online – and not directly,” said this employee, who requested anonymity so he doesn’t get fired again.

Federal labor unions have filed lawsuits aimed at blocking the probationary firings and getting workers reinstated, arguing the White House had usurped Congress’ control over spending and violated rules that govern federal layoffs.

Julie Wilson, general counsel of the National Treasury Employees Union, told HuffPost on Tuesday that the probationary firings are “indisputably a reorganization attempt” and that the administration had failed to follow proper procedures, including giving workers notice.

“The government has not followed any of those [rules] in terminating employees to date, to include the mass firing of probationary employees,” Wilson said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.