Supreme Court Rules Against 1 Order Requiring Trump Admin To Reinstate Workers

The Supreme Court has ruled to block a lower court order demanding the reinstatement of 16,000 federal probationary employees who were fired as part of government downsizing efforts.

Key Takeaways

The Supreme Court halted a California federal judge’s order to reinstate 16,000 fired probationary federal employees.
The Court found that the non-profit organizations suing did not have legal standing to pursue action, but the ruling did not address the other plaintiffs.
The ruling blocks the order while the case makes its way through the legal system.
A separate Maryland injunction still prevents firings in 19 states and Washington DC.

Court Halts Reinstatement Order

The Supreme Court has blocked a lower court order requiring the reinstatement of approximately 16,000 federal probationary employees from six agencies. The ruling paused a previous injunction issued by US District Judge William Alsup of California, who had determined that the terminations did not follow proper federal procedures. Only Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the Supreme Court decision to halt the order.

The Supreme Court’s decision primarily focused on the legal question of whether nonprofit associations had proper standing to bring lawsuits on behalf of the terminated employees. This procedural focus allowed the court to sidestep broader questions about the legality of the mass terminations themselves, which were part of the administration’s broader effort to reduce the size of the federal workforce and cut government spending.

The Court did not address other plaintiffs involved in the lawsuit, and the decision will halt the previous order while the case concerning the legality of the firings continues through the courts.

Supreme Court scraps one judge’s block on Trump’s firings of probationary workers https://t.co/7su12xxIiE

— POLITICO (@politico) April 8, 2025

Maryland Injunction Remains in Effect

Despite this decision, many employees remain on paid administrative leave due to a separate legal challenge in Maryland. That case, which involves 18 federal agencies and applies to 19 states and the District of Columbia, resulted in a similar injunction that remains in effect. The Justice Department is actively appealing this Maryland order, but it’s still unclear whether the Supreme Court will intervene in this case.

The lawsuits surrounding these terminations say that at least 24,000 probationary employees have been terminated since President Donald Trump took office. These employees, who were still in their trial period of federal employment, had fewer protections than permanent staff but were still covered by certain procedural requirements according to the plaintiffs. Judge Alsup had criticized the firings as improperly directed and claimed they bypassed legal protections for federal workers.

The Trump administration has maintained that the various federal agencies themselves directed the firings and that they were conducted legally. Administration officials have argued that streamlining the federal workforce is essential for government efficiency and fiscal responsibility. The Supreme Court’s ruling represents the third recent instance where the high court has sided with the Trump administration against determinations made by federal judges in other matters.

A coalition of organizations and labor unions expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court’s decision but vowed to continue their legal battle. The plaintiffs have argued that the firings were part of a centralized effort directed by the White House rather than independent agency decisions, which would make them subject to additional legal requirements. The administration contends that downsizing is necessary to reduce bloat in government and create a more efficient federal workforce.