States sue President Trump’s administration over mass firings of
probationary federal workers
[March 08, 2025]
By BRIAN WITTE
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland and 19 other states are suing multiple
federal agencies, contending President Donald Trump's administration has
illegally fired thousands of federal probationary workers.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown is leading the coalition of
attorneys general in the federal lawsuit that was filed late Thursday in
Maryland, where the state estimates about 10% of households receive
wages from the federal government.
“The draconian actions of the Trump-Vance Administration could lead to
tens of thousands of jobs lost, hundreds of thousands of lives
disrupted, and the cratering of tens of millions of dollars in income
here in Maryland,” Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, said Friday in support of
the complaint.
Brown followed up on Friday by moving for a temporary restraining order
in federal court in Maryland seeking to stop any more firings of federal
probationary employees and to reinstate those who have already been
dismissed.
The mass firings will cause irreparable burdens and expenses on the
states, the lawsuit said, because states will have to support recently
unemployed workers and review and adjudicate claims of unemployment
assistance. More than 800 fired federal workers in Maryland already have
applied for unemployment benefits, Brown's office said.
The lawsuit also contended that the layoffs will hurt state finances due
to lost tax revenue.
“President Trump’s unlawful mass firings of federal workers are a
blatant attack on the civil service, throwing thousands of hardworking
families into financial turmoil,” Brown, a Democrat, said in a news
release. “Instead of following the law and notifying states, his
administration blindsided Maryland, forcing us to deal with the
devastating economic fallout and social consequences."
Trump, a Republican, has said he’s targeting fraud, waste and abuse in a
bloated federal government. The president and his adviser Elon Musk’s
Department of Government Efficiency have fired both new and career
workers, telling agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions in
force.” The purge has spawned a number of lawsuits as unions and
attorneys general have challenged Doge's authority. Attempts to contact
the White House and Justice Department for comment were unsuccessful.
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Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown speaks during a news
conference Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP
Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
Probationary workers have been targeted for layoffs across the
federal government because they’re usually new to the job and lack
full civil service protection.
While federal agencies claimed the employees were fired for
unsatisfactory performance or conduct, the lawsuit said the firings
were part of the administration’s attempt to restructure and
downsize the entire government.
That means the administration was required to follow federal laws
and regulations that govern large-scale federal reductions in force,
the lawsuit said. For example, regulations require that government
agencies consider an employee’s tenure, performance and veteran
status when making termination decisions, the attorneys said.
Regulations also typically require 60 days’ advance notice of
termination in a reduction in force.
“This has inflicted and will continue to inflict serious and
irreparable harms on the Plaintiff States, as they must now deal
with a sudden surge in unemployment, without the advance notice
required under the federal (reduction in force) statute and
regulations,” the lawsuit said.
The attorneys general are asking for the court to reinstate the
fired employees and stop further terminations of federal employees.
The other states that have joined the lawsuit are Arizona,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico,
New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. The District
of Columbia also is a plaintiff.
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