Oregon Attorney General Wants Mass Firing of Probationary Federal Employees Declared Illegal
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has joined a coalition of 20 states in a lawsuit asking the court to rule the mass firing of probationary federal employees as illegal.
Lawsuit Calls for their Reinstatement
The lawsuit also calls for fired employees to be reinstated and for the court to stop similar job terminations in the future.
The AGs have brought the lawsuit following the Trump administration’s move to reduce the number of federal government employees by ordering federal agencies to terminate the services of thousands of probationary workers.
Probationary employees are those who were recently promoted, changed office, or newly hired, and are generally subject to a one to two-year period of probation.
According to the lawsuit, the mass firings will cause an irreparable expense and burden to states when they review and adjudicate unemployment claims.
The lawsuit claims that the unlawful layoffs will damage state finances and undermine vital partnerships between states and federal agencies.
The mass firings have caused stress to federal workers in Oregon and across the nation and the damage it has done is insurmountable, says Rayfield…’we are hoping this lawsuit will bring these workers some form of justice.’
The lawsuit claims that while federal agencies state that probationary employees were fired for unsatisfactory performance or conduct, the move was ‘clearly part of the administration’s attempt to restructure and downsize the entire federal government.’
In the lawsuit filed yesterday, the coalition of AGs asserted that the administration was required to follow federal laws and regulations that govern large-scale federal “Reductions in Force” (RIF).
These protections ensure that personnel, such as military veterans, are given preference in job retention.
The lawsuit states that the federal agencies involved in the mass firings failed to provide any advance notice to Oregon.
When a RIF results in a layoff of more than 50 employees, the agency must give a minimum of 60 days advance notice so that affected states can provide vital “rapid response” information, resources, and services to those affected.