Legal Action

A coalition of public service unions, environmental nonprofits, and advocacy organizations filed a lawsuit against the Trump-Vance administration, challenging the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) mass firing of government probationary employees. On February 14, 2025, Acting Director of OPM Charles Ezell issued a directive to all federal agencies across the country ordering them to fire all probationary employees under the pretense of “poor performance,” except for those few probationary employees considered “mission critical.” The OPM directive led to tens of thousands of federal employees being laid off, despite their employing agencies having no previous intention of firing them. The plaintiffs argue that OPM directive violates the Administrative Procedure Act and seek declaratory and injunctive relief.

On Sept. 12, 2025, a U.S. district court granted plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment, declaring OPM lacked the authority to direct other agencies to fire their employees. An appeal of the district court’s final judgment ensued, and final resolution remains pending in the Ninth Circuit.