Summary
The Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency that oversees illegal actions taken against federal workers, ruled that the mass firings of probationary federal workers (those in a trial period after being hired) are likely illegal.
The decision, affecting 6 cases, found that the terminations lacked individualized cause, violating federal rules.
OSC head Hampton Dellinger stated, “Firing probationary employees without individualized cause appears contrary to a reasonable reading of the law.”
This ruling could challenge the legality of nearly all such dismissals, opening the door for broader legal action.
Actually, Hampton Dellinger himself was already fired earlier in the purge, but was temporarily reinstateted by a lower court and that was upheld by the Supreme Court (so far). It’s been one of the first cases to land on their desk, and is worth watching closely.