Amid mass firings, Platkin joins lawsuit against federal agencies

In another lawsuit against the Trump administration, Attorney General Matt Platkin joined a coalition with 19 other states accusing federal agencies of illegal “mass layoffs” of federal employees. 

President Donald Trump and his allies have focused on reducing the federal workforce during his first several weeks in office, but Democratic attorneys general say the federal government has overstepped its authority in terminating the employment of federal workers across the country. The coalition accused the Trump administration of unlawfully firing thousands of probationary workers, or employees who are either newly hired or who have recently changed positions.

The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Maryland, asks a judge to rule the firing of probationary employees is illegal, reinstate affected employees, and halt any further similar firings.

“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,” Platkin said in a release. “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.”

The Office of the Attorney General said 400 terminated federal employees have filed for unemployment benefits in New Jersey since Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.

The Trump administration doesn’t appear to be slowing down its cuts to the federal workforce. The New York Times reported last week that several federal agencies are preparing a “reduction in force,” and the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to cut more than 80,000 jobs, according to an internal memo.

The Democratic attorneys general say agencies are generally required to give 60 days’ notice to states before layoffs affecting 50 or more employees. The attorney general’s office said the federal agencies named in the suit failed to provide New Jersey advance notice, leaving state officials unprepared to support newly unemployed federal workers.

The Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs were named in the lawsuit, as well as several subcabinet agencies.

Five labor unions sued the Trump administration earlier this month over the federal government’s plans to terminate swaths of employees, according to the Times.

Platkin and other Democratic attorneys general have found initial success in their legal challenges against the federal government, winning temporary relief in the cases as litigation progresses.