Judge’s Ruling on State Department Firings
A federal judge has intervened to prevent the State Department from terminating certain employees, ruling late Thursday that a recently passed stopgap spending bill prohibits any workforce reductions at this time.
U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, appointed by President Clinton and serving in California, made her decision without holding a hearing for the administration.
Judge Illston emphasized the need for swift action to avert planned firings that were set to begin as early as Friday.
The judge referenced a specific provision in the continuing resolution, which was enacted to reopen the government, stating it prohibits any reductions in force from the law’s effective date until its expiration on January 30.
While some members of Congress indicated that this provision aimed to reinstate employees dismissed by President Trump during the shutdown, Judge Illston clarified that there is no such limitation explicitly stated in Congress’s language.
The judge issued a temporary restraining order against the government regarding these firings.
The State Department initiated plans for these terminations back in July, with an original termination date set for November. However, those plans were disrupted by the shutdown.
This week, the department renewed its intention to proceed with terminations on December 5. Nevertheless, Judge Illston asserted that the new law prevents any implementation of workforce reductions regardless of when they were initiated.
“Nothing in the plain text of the statute limits Section 120(a) to apply only to those RIFs initiated during the government shutdown,” she noted in her ruling.
