Federal Judge Orders Reinstatement of Hundreds of Federal Employees Laid Off During Shutdown

A federal judge in San Francisco has ordered the reversal of layoffs affecting hundreds of federal employees, citing violations of a congressional mandate during the recent government shutdown. The ruling impacts approximately 680 employees across several agencies, including nearly 250 Foreign Service officers at the State Department, 200 employees at the General Services Administration, 150 at the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, and nearly 80 at the Small Business Administration.

The American Federation of Government Employees and the American Foreign Service Association argued that finalizing these reductions during the shutdown contravened a stopgap spending bill passed by Congress, which prohibited layoffs through January 30, 2026. Judge Susan Illston stated that she will grant the motion for a preliminary injunction requested by the unions, noting the "chaotic nature of these RIFs has been continuing."

The Justice Department contended that rescinding the layoffs would be logistically challenging for agencies, especially if courts later permit the reductions to proceed. However, Judge Illston emphasized that the continuing resolution ending the shutdown explicitly prohibited such layoffs through January 30, and that this directive was not being followed by some agencies.

This decision follows a temporary restraining order issued earlier this month that blocked the layoffs of nearly 250 Foreign Service officers at the State Department, originally scheduled for November 10 but postponed to December 5. The judge's order aims to enforce compliance with the congressional mandate and provide clarity to affected federal employees.