Court Upholds RIF Ban, Blocking Administration’s Major Downsizing Plans Indefinitely

A U.S. District Court in San Francisco has indefinitely extended a ban on large-scale reductions in force (RIFs) initiated by the Trump administration. The ruling, delivered by Judge Susan Illston, asserts that the efforts to reorganize federal agencies violate the separation of powers principles established by the Constitution. The preliminary injunction issued on Thursday echoes a temporary order that was set to end on Friday. This ruling prevents several key federal agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management, from implementing an executive order issued by the president in … Read more

Federal Workers Face Uncertainty as Judges Challenge Government Downsizing, Offering Reinstatements Amid Legal Disputes

WASHINGTON — Sam Peterson, once a park ranger at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area in Washington state, made the choice to forgo re-entering the federal workforce despite a judicial order offering reinstatement to him and thousands of others dismissed under a sweeping federal reduction initiative. Instead, Peterson and his wife have chosen to relocate and pursue a new opportunity in Oregon, reflecting a broader reluctance among some former federal employees to return to government positions amidst ongoing instability and uncertainty about future reductions. Recent legal challenges to the Trump administration’s effort to dramatically downsize the … Read more