With just one dissenter, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a previous appeal preventing a mass reduction in force
The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for sweeping federal layoffs by lifting a court-ordered injunction that had temporarily halted any reduction-in-force (RIF).
The executive order and related implementation guidance directed agencies to focus on eliminating “waste, bloat and insularity” by reducing the federal workforce. The plaintiffs, which included the American Federation of Government Employees, had argued that the administration overstepped its authority by using executive directives to circumvent congressional authority, potentially dismantling core government functions in a way that would be difficult, if not impossible, to reverse.
Government lawyers countered that the president acted within constitutional authority and that the injunction had impeded the efficient functioning of federal agencies.
But in an 8–1 decision, the court ruled that the Trump administration lawfully issued its executive order “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.” The Supreme Court ruling did not weigh in on the legality of specific agency reorganizations or RIF plans.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the lone dissenter, raised concerns about the impact and precedent of the ruling. “In my view, this was the wrong decision at the wrong moment, especially given what little this court knows about what is actually happening on the ground,” Jackson said.
TWS stands with our members and colleagues affected by recent federal workforce reductions and is committed to advocating for you and providing resources to support your professional and personal well-being during this time.
