
Trump’s hardball moves leave fired federal workers few paths to fight for their jobs back
CNN
After firing tens of thousands of federal workers this year, President Donald Trump has also made it much harder for them to get their jobs back as he imposes his will over the labor agencies that are supposed to protect their rights.
After firing tens of thousands of federal workers this year, President Donald Trump has also made it much harder for them to get their jobs back as he imposes his will over the labor agencies that are supposed to protect their rights. He has hobbled independent labor boards, installed a loyalist at a key agency that protects civil servants, and signed an executive order to end collective bargaining for many federal workers. This has left government employees with dwindling options to contest their firings through channels normally available to civil servants, with many turning to the courts for relief or giving up altogether. “It is significantly more difficult for a federal employee to have their case heard by an independent body,” said former Merit Systems Protection Board member Ray Limon. “What we’re seeing here is a complete elimination of traditional employee due process and investigation of complaints, which is unparalleled in the history of our government.” In an effort to ensure a stable, professional and merit-based workforce across administrations, Congress has long mandated certain due-process protections from arbitrary firings for the more than 2 million federal employees. But as federal employees – ranging from newer “probationary” workers who were fired en masse, to career civil servants who believe they were dismissed for partisan purposes – seek to challenge their terminations in the second Trump administration, they are finding it harder than ever to push back. Amid sweeping layoffs and resignations, civic groups have stepped in to connect some of these disillusioned workers with new jobs in state and local government. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is fighting in court to defend his mass firings and executive orders.

As lawmakers demand answers over reports that the US military carried out a follow-up strike that killed survivors during an attacked on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, a career Navy SEAL who has spent most of his 30 years of military experience in special operations will be responsible for providing them.












