US Judge Rejects Trump's Order to Ease Firing Federal Staff

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, explaining her ruling, stated that the US president’s order "undermines federal employees right to bargain collectively."

Judge Jackson stated in her Saturday ruling that the orders "impair the ability of agency officials to keep an open mind, and to participate fully in give-and-take discussions, during collective bargaining negotiations."

The rejected orders were signed by US President Donald Trump in May in a bid to help cabinet secretaries "award good federal employees and to remove poor performers more quickly."

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The first order shortened the period of Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), a last-chance opportunity for federal employees flagged for removal or demotion to turn around their performance record, to 30 days in all branches of the government.

The second order reduced the number of hours that federal employees can be paid for union work, while the third one meant to curtail the labor contract bargaining window between the government and unions.