Mar. 7, 2025
Las Vegas, NV — Today, Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford, alongside a coalition of 20 attorneys general, moved for a temporary restraining order for numerous federal agencies, asking that a federal court order them to cease the illegal mass layoffs of federal probationary employees, and to reinstate those who have been fired.
This motion, seeking immediate relief, is necessary because the mass firings by federal agencies are causing irreparable injuries to Nevada and the other plaintiff states. The ongoing and sudden mass firings are straining state resources to support recently unemployed workers, and to review and adjudicate claims of unemployment assistance. Moreover, the unlawful layoffs will harm state finances and undermine vital state-federal partnerships.
“These mass firings will leave Nevadans unemployed and strain our state’s resources and finances in the aftermath,” said AG Ford. “Firing these employees for no reason and on a mass scale leaves our state — and our taxpayers — on the hook. We will take care of our own, but the federal government cannot simply throw such a financial burden on the states without consideration or planning. These firings are unlawful, and I will take any action necessary to protect Nevadans and Nevada’s resources.”
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 before they are entitled to full protections under federal employment laws.
While federal agencies claimed, in the form of termination letters, that these probationary employees were fired for unsatisfactory performance or conduct, the firings were actually part of the administration’s attempt to restructure and downsize the entire federal government. In the lawsuit filed today, the coalition of attorneys general claims that the administration was therefore required to follow federal laws and regulations that govern large-scale federal “Reductions in Force” (RIF). These critical protections ensure that personnel such as military veterans are given preference in retaining their jobs.
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. The federal agencies named in the lawsuit failed to provide any advance notice to Nevada, causing significant expense and injury and burden on the state as it scrambles to respond to the sudden mass layoffs of its residents.
In today’s motion, AG Ford is seeking an immediate ruling by the Court to reinstate unlawfully fired employees, stop further similar terminations and identify affected employees.
AG Ford joins the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
Review the Court's memo granting the temporary restraining order.
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