FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-576-7009
BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown led a coalition of
20 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against numerous federal agencies for conducting illegal
mass layoffs of federal probationary employees. These mass firings will cause irreparable
burdens and expenses on the part of the states, both to support recently unemployed workers, and
to review and adjudicate claims of unemployment assistance. Moreover, the unlawful layoffs
will harm state finances and undermine vital state-federal partnerships.
“President Trump’s unlawful mass firings of federal workers are a blatant attack on the civil
service, throwing thousands of hardworking families into financial turmoil,” said Attorney
General Brown. “Instead of following the law and notifying states, his administration blindsided
Maryland, forcing us to deal with the devastating economic fallout and social consequences. We
won’t stand by while he disrupts lives and undermines our State, which is why I’ve taken legal
action to stop these unjustified terminations and protect Marylanders."
In an effort to dramatically reduce the size of the federal government, the Trump administration
initiated mass terminations of federal employees, ordering numerous federal agencies to fire
thousands of probationary employees. These personnel are newly hired or have recently been
promoted or changed offices, and they are generally subject to a probationary period of one or
two years.
While federal agencies claimed, in the form of termination letters, that these probationary
employees were fired for unsatisfactory performance or conduct, the firings were clearly part of
the administration’s attempt to restructure and downsize the entire federal government. In the
lawsuit filed today, the coalition of attorneys general asserts that the administration was therefore
required to follow federal laws and regulations that govern large-scale federal “Reductions in
Force” (RIF). These critical protections ensure that personnel such as military veterans are given
preference in retaining their jobs.
When a RIF results in a layoff of 50 or more employees, the agency must generally give at least
60 days’ advance notice to states governments, so they can provide vital “rapid response”
information, resources, and services to affected workers. The federal agencies named in the
lawsuit failed to provide any advance notice to Maryland, causing significant injury and burden
on the state as it scrambles to respond to the sudden mass layoffs of its residents. Over 800
terminated federal employees in Maryland have already applied to the state for unemployment
benefits.
With the lawsuit filed today, Maryland is asking the court to:
- Rule that the mass firing of probationary employees is illegal;
- Reinstate unlawfully fired employees;
- Stop further similar terminations; and
- Identify affected employees
Joining the coalition are the attorneys general of Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
View a video statement on this legal action from Attorney General Brown.
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