American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, et al. v. United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM), et al. .
Background:
In early 2025, the OPM directed federal agencies to terminate thousands of probationary employees. The OPM’s communications emphasized that such terminations could occur without triggering appeal rights to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Agencies were instructed to identify probationary employees and proceed with terminations using provided templates, with deadlines set for mid-February 2025.
Court’s Findings:
- The OPM’s directive was found to unlawfully usurp the authority of individual federal agencies to manage their personnel.
- The mass terminations were executed without proper legal authority and due process.
- Evidence indicated that agencies acted under pressure from the OPM, citing its instructions in termination letters.
Current Order:
The court granted provisional relief to the union plaintiffs acknowledging the unlawful nature of the OPM’s actions and the resultant harm to employees and agencies.