Judge temporarily blocks Trump admin layoffs of thousands of federal workers during government shutdown

A federal judge in San Francisco on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from continuing government furloughs, granting a temporary restraining order sought by labor unions that argued layoffs were unlawful during the ongoing government shutdown.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston, a Clinton appointee, ordered the administration not to issue any reduction in force notices to federal employees in ‘any program, project or activity,’ including any bargaining unit or member represented by the unions during, or because of, the shutdown.

‘The evidence suggests OMB and OPM have taken advantage of the lapse in government spending–function to assume all bets are off and that the laws don’t apply to them,’ Illston said.

She further claimed the administration’s actions were ‘…illegal and is in excess of authority and is arbitrary and capricious.’ 

In a court filing Tuesday night, an official with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said more than 4,000 government workers had already received reduction in force notices.

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