Thousands of USDA Employees Temporarily Reinstated After Appeals Board Ruling

The U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board has ordered the temporary reinstatement of nearly 6,000 probationary employees from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) who were terminated under the Trump administration. The board found reasonable grounds that these firings violated civil service laws meant to protect federal employees from political influence. The reinstatement will last for at least 45 days while further investigations are conducted into the legality of the mass layoffs. Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger initiated this process, emphasizing the need to evaluate whether the dismissals were justified. This decision not only impacts the USDA but may also set a precedent for similar cases across other federal agencies. The terminations began on February 13, with the administration citing performance issues, despite many employees receiving positive feedback prior to their dismissals.