A federal judge in Maryland has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against 18 federal agencies, halting the mass layoffs of probationary employees. The court has mandated that these employees be reinstated by 1:00 pm on Monday, March 17, 2025.
This legal action follows Attorney General Charity Clark's involvement with a coalition of 20 attorneys general who filed a lawsuit on March 6, 2025. The suit targeted several federal agencies for causing harm to Vermont and other states involved in the case. The lawsuit sought immediate intervention from the court.
Attorney General Clark stated that the TRO "stops the unlawful mass firings" and requires agencies to restore employment to those affected. The participating attorneys general include representatives from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.