Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin joined 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 impose irreparable burdens and expenses on the states, both to support recently unemployed workers, Moreover, the unlawful layoffs will harm state finances and undermine vital state-federal partnerships.
“In its callous and reckless mass firings of probationary federal employees, the Trump Administration has harmed thousands of employees and families themselves, including many veterans in our state who have dutifully served their country in uniform,” said Attorney General Platkin. “These firings have also damaged collaboration between our state and federal government and caused significant expenses to New Jersey. They are not only short-sighted but are illegal, and today we are taking the Trump Administration to court in order to reverse them.”
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.
In the lawsuit filed today, the coalition of attorneys general claims that the administration was required to follow, but ignored, federal laws and regulations that govern large-scale federal “Reductions in Force” (RIF).
When a RIF results in a layoff of 50 or more employees, the agency must generally give at least 60 days’ advance notice to state governments, so they can provide vital “rapid response” information, resources, and services to affected workers. These critical protections also ensure that personnel such as military veterans are given preference in retaining their jobs.
The federal agencies named in the lawsuit failed to provide any advance notice to New Jersey, causing significant expense and burden on the state as it scrambles to respond to the sudden mass layoffs of its residents. Approximately 400 terminated federal employees in New Jersey have already applied to the State for unemployment benefits since January 20. And New Jersey state agencies who partner with their federal counterparts also suffer harms when federal employees are no longer available for the joint work that serve New Jersey residents.
With the lawsuit filed today, New Jersey 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 Maryland, Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
