Federal watchdog blocks layoffs of 6,000 Agriculture Department workers
Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris ordered USDA to reinstate probationary employees laid off for 45 days.
Trump during a press conference/
The Merit Systems Protection Board reported that it took action to block the Trump administration's decision to lay off about 6,000 probationary workers at the Department of Agriculture.
In that regard, Cathy Harris, a member of the Merit Systems Protection Board, ordered the USDA to reinstate the probationary employees laid off for 45 days while an appeal against the layoffs is resolved.
In that regard, USDA has to demonstrate to the board within five days that it has complied with the reinstatement of the employees.
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Meanwhile, special prosecutor Hampton Dellinger - who now has more time to review the layoff cases - applauded the decision.
"Agencies are best positioned to determine the employees impacted by these mass terminations," he said in remarks to the Washington Times.
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