Judge Blocks Trump Admin From Firing Federal Employees on Probation in 19 States

A federal judge on April 1 indefinitely blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from quickly firing thousands of probationary federal workers in 19 states and Washington, narrowing a nationwide order issued last month. U.S. District Judge James Bredar in Baltimore, Maryland, had already ruled on March 13 that the administration should have provided advance notice when it terminated at least 11,000 workers without notifying states and local governments in advance. The judge ordered the administration to reinstate the fired workers at 18 agencies by March 17. Bredar’s latest decision replaces that order but also covers two additional agencies: the Defense Department and the Office of Personnel Management....